When people come to America they dream of the American Dream. The American Dream is having a better live in America than they did in their other country, Many people think that the American Dream can happen for their children, However; it may take generations for that dream to finally feel real. The Younger finally feel like that American Dream is coming alive when Mama receives a check from her husband death. Younger feel that with these money they can provide a better life for their family. However; each of the family members have different ideas for the money. Each family member has a different dream on how the money should be spent. Walter dream is to open a liquor store with two of his friends. Walter dream is also to have wealth with this liquor store, but at the same time provide …show more content…
She could have spent the money on herself, however; she wants to buy a house where the family can call it their own. Mama wants to give a better life to her family that she never had. Mama unselfishness shows that she would do anything for her family. Mama would rather spend the money on the family than spending it on herself. When Mama was younger her and husband did not have the money for the American dream that they believed in. Now Mama has the money to achieve her dream. The Youngers just like many families in America have a dream. Even though each of the members of the family may be different dreams, they each all want a better life for the family. For most people dreams are what make people go through life everyday. If people did not dream they would not want to work hard in life. The Younger’s dream show that the American Dream is still alive even though for some of the family their dreams did not become reality. However; at the end of the day the family is living in a house that they may have thought that they would have never lived in without the money Mama
There dream was to finally move up in the world and be more successful as a certain group of people. After trying relentlessly to accomplish this they found out that to reach the dream they were aspiring for they must work as a family not as individuals. Mama arguably the main protagonist in this story is bring home a ten thousand dollar check for life insurance from her husband. This money drives the family crazy and with their mind set still individualized people start getting selfish. Walter, Mama’s son has the idea of investing the money into a liquor store and looses a lot of money. Mama eventually buys Travis a house for the family to live in, Travis being Mama’s grandson, this sparked the family to start thinking less of themselves but for the family as a whole. After a few days a man from the communities welcoming center came to offer them a deal to sell the house and make a profit. This symbolizes their dream trying to be bought with money. The family now had the choice whether to follow their dreams or abandon them. Obviously they had not given up on their dreams and thanks to Mama the family started looking out for each other which was the most important thing for the
Mama wanted to use the insurance money to buy a house. She finally had the chance to fulfill the dream that her and Mr. Younger always had. Mama wanted to buy a house in a predominantly white neighborhood b...
Meritocracy, which transcends to upward mobility, can help achieve the Black American Dream only when money and support are present. Walter Younger is an example of meritocracy, a middle-aged man living with his mother and family and works hard as a chauffeur. He wants upward mobility, which is why he enters into the liquor store business with two of his business partners. After receiving his father’s insurance money from his mother, he invested everything towards the business. However, the downfall occurs when one of his partners, Bobo, showed up to his house without Willy Harris, his other partner, present. “When I got to the train station…Willy didn’t never showed up...When a cat take off with your money he don’t leave you no road maps”
Beneatha 's American dream was to become a doctor. She was going to achieve this dream by going to a medical school. Her dream was deferred because of the money Walter lost. Mama said, “You mean your sister’s school money… You used that too… Walter?...” (129). This show that there 's no more money for Beneatha 's education. Beneatha 's American Dream of women 's rights was also deferred because Beneatha lives in a time when society expects women to build homes rather than careers. Walter said, “Who the hell told you you had to be a doctor? If you so crazy about messing around with sick people, then go be a nurse like other women or just get married and be quiet…” (38). This shows how people think during those times that women just get married and stay home cleaning. Beneatha 's American dream is that she wants a good man was also deferred, because she wants someone to love her for who she is. Beneatha 's said, “Mama George is a fool honest” (97). This demonstrate, that she wants no fool. She wants someone that is serious with her. Overall, through her character, Beneatha Younger, Hansberry created a real example of a black American dream. All her dreams are deferred of becoming a doctor, her women’s rights, and a good
A commonly held tenet among people from all generations is that hard work will ultimately lead to wealth and prosperity. This concept, illustrated in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, is known as the American Dream. Although many have this dream today, it is a one in a million chance to attain it, regardless of whether or not a person is tremendously deserving of such success. James Gatz, later known as Jay Gatsby, is a character who experiences this minute probability of the American Dream coming true. Through the character of Gatsby, Fitzgerald suggests that the American Dream is so difficult to achieve that it is unattainable.
Many will try to argue that Mama or Walter have a better dream because Mama’s dream gives them a place of their own and Walter’s dream is a good source of immediate income. However, there are many flaws in the dreams they have. While it is true th...
First, Hensberry uses mama to show the negative consequences that occur when you defer your dreams. Mama is hardworking. She is always doing everything she can to help their family and to have a better life. She lives with her daughter, her son
It’s safe to say that his dream is miles away, but he insists that if the family invests the insurance money in the liquor store this dream could come to fruition. To the family’s devastation, Walter’s investment goes South and his “partner” runs away with the money. The loss of the money is the entire family’s burden to bear. Each of their dreams revolved around the money; Walter, Ruth, Mama, and Beneatha’s dreams depended on the outcome of the investment. Initially, setback made all of the characters feel resigned toward their dreams, but they were all able to bounce back. Losing the money allowed the characters to gain a new perspective, each of them were affected differently, but the effect was decidedly positive. Walter resolves to have the family move into the new house anyways, and Beneatha, empowered by Asagai’s speech/proposal, chooses to revise her dream. The course and conclusion of these events prove the family’s growing passion for their dreams under difficult
Even with Big Walter and Mama’s joint efforts, they are not able to save their children from a life similar to their own. Here the concept of the American Dream is rejected because even with hard work, the Youngers aren’t able to reach economic prosperity due to the low status jobs limited to African-Americans. Big Walter and Mama’s dreams only become possible after the death of Big Walter; the insurance money that the Younger’s receive has the power to change their lives. But what does this say about the American Dream? In the play, Asagai states, “Then isn’t there something wrong in a house-- in a world--where all dreams, good or bad, must depend on the death” (Hansberry 135; Act 3, Sc. 1). Even now, the American Dream is still largely determined by race, and while the Youngers have the determination to fight and to prosper economically, they aren’t able to do so because of the strict limitations that are set in the form of racism and discrimination in order to keep African-Americans in a lower socioeconomic
What is the american dream? The play Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry takes place in a Chicago ghetto, the american dream being deffered here then compared to a white household. Being the early 1950’s, africans and caucasians still lived mostly segregated lives from themselves. Separate washrooms, eateries, etc. The Youngers live in a described as run down apartment, sharing one washroom with everyone on their floor. 5 people inhabit their apartment. His mother Lena, himself Walter, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, and his son Travis. Walter does not want to live in that current situation anymore. He wants a life for his son and family.
If the American Dream was to have one single perception amongst people, how would it be conveyed? Today, this ideal would most commonly possess a traditional family plentiful in extra curriculars and evening dinners. However, the topic itself is entirely subjective. The American Dream promises the hope that one will achieve financial success, power, and eternal happiness through hard work and dedication. It is essentially a facade that ignores issues like systematic racism and socioeconomic inequality. Authors such as Frederick Douglas, Dick Gregory, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jon Krakauer, and Ralph Waldo Emerson illustrate and acknowledge the differences in one’s
Everyone would like to support their family financially and achieve financial success in their lives. Walter Younger is a thirty-five year old, married man who, is a limousine driver and has dreams like each one of us. Walter represents a 1950’s African-American male, who struggles, but tries to secure economic prosperity. Walter Younger has a dream to open a liquor store and he believes that this store will lead his family to The American Dream. A dream is a hope or a wish and Walter Younger, who is the hero and the villain of the play, wants to use Mama’s 10,000 to open up the liquor store. Walter Younger’s family is an African-American family that is struggling in poverty, but Walter’s idea of financial stability could lead the family to
The playwright ‘A Raisin in the sun’ was written by Lorraine Hansberry. This plays describe the condition of lower class black African American family lived in Southside of Chicago named “The Youngers”. After the death of Mr., Younger his insurance provides the opportunity to his family to escape the poverty by giving them S10, 000 check by which they can change their life. As they have many dreams and expectations to change. In Younger’s family, there is Mama (Lena) Mr. Younger wife, Walther Lee her son and Benetha her daughter. Ruth and his sons Jr. Younger is the family of Walter Lee. Everybody has their dreams and faith in God. Walter Lee, Mama, and Benetha are the main characters by which the story moving around. Walter Lee wants to invest this check money to open the liquor store but her mother totally against him because she want to spend this money to buy the new house for her family and to save some for her daughter’s education because Breathe wants to be a doctor and she is so confident about that to make her dreams come true. The dreams of Walter Lee, Mama (Lena), and Beantha shows that, despite great obstacles, the American Dream is still possible.
The first mention of Walter’s dream ,which is one of the biggest parts of the plot, is on page 33 when he starts arguing with his wife Ruth about buying a liquor store. As more members of the Younger family find out about Walter’s plan it soon become obvious they think that his dream is outrageous. Mama makes it clear to Ruth she doesn’t think Walter’s idea is good, “We ain’t no business people, Ruth. We just plain working folks.”(pg. 42) After it becomes clear to Walter that Mama most likely won’t help him with his dream he becomes depressed and acts out. He starts heavily drinking and becomes aggressive with Mama and the rest of his family because he feels they ruined his future.”...So you butchered up a dream of mine-you-who always talking ‘bout your children’s dreams…” (pg. 95) Mama feels bad for him but she doesn’t want to stop her daughter from achieving her dream. Mama ends up giving Walter 6,500 dollars and says put 3,000 dollars of it into an account for his sister. Walter ends up using all 6,500 dollars to spend on the liquor store believing his dream is more important than giving his sister 3,000 dollars and that he will eventually be able to put Beneatha through medical school with the money he earns from the store. One of his friends end up running with the money and all of the money that Mama gave Walter and Beneatha is gone. His selfishness and hope for his
Due to continuous changes in the concept of the American Dream throughout its prolonged existence, it is difficult to have one sole definition. The American Dream has always been a major concept that stems off of many ideas such as liberty, prosperity, equality, and opportunity, which still exists, to some degree, in our vision of the Dream today. America has always been known as the “land of opportunity” and has always emphasized the importance of future generations surpassing the success of their previous ones. But just because our present concept of the Dream may seem to overlap past concepts, it does not mean the Dream has remained what it was in the past. Actually, it is an entirely new image, morphed by social, political, and economic issues. What has it become? A society corrupted by materialism and deteriorated by the failing economy, leaving younger Americans hopeless and older Americans fearful of America’s future. It’s alarming that Americans are constantly taking their rights and freedom for granted, always wanting more than they can get– and quite honestly, what they can get is not even that much to begin with. As our economy collapses into chaotic hardships and our desires override our moral obligations, the American Dream has ultimately become the American Nightmare.