Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

Name and Significance Walter Lee Younger is the protagonist of A Raisin in the Sun. The entire plot line is centered on him, revealing his everyday life and struggles.

Walter seems to be overcome with a search for power and a drive to become wealthy and leave the life of being a worker behind him. It also shows that he cares for his family seeing how he is striving to give them the best, but that aspect is overshadowed by his greed. I feel the scene also shows the Younger family at its lowest point in the movie. Walter is on the complete edge and is thinking of stealing a community's money and the rest of the family, besides Momma, seemed to lose their faith and trust in him. When things seemed hopeless with the loss of the money, they only became worse as a loss in more than money occurred. A loss in their character, faith, history, and respect for each other overcame the family, particularly Walter and Beneatha. Nevertheless, Momma soon sets Beneatha straight with an emotional and positive speech about how there is "always something left to love" and sets the standard that the family should adhere to. It marks the turning point at the end of the movie

Walter Lee is stubborn, very ambitious, and filled with pride at the beginning of the story. He strives for success with the money “Mama,” also known as Lena got from the life insurance from her husband who recently passed away. Walter was so selfish all he wanted was to provide a better life for he and his family because he was not satisfied with their current standards of living. He wants more and wishes to become rich because he believes he never had enough growing up, but at the same time he wants to provide money and societal respect for his family. He put his trust with the money into a person who betrayed him and he ended up losing it all including his sisters schooling money. After this scene in the play Walter was at his lowest point,

No matter how hard they try, there are some people who cannot get ahead in life. Walter Lee Younger is a man who is frustrated with his current position in life, and every disappointment he has encountered thus far. Although he tries to be a loving man, sometimes he does not know how to show the idea of love, 'Sometimes...sometimes...I don't even know how to try' (Hansberry 89). His position in life can be regarded as symbolic of every black male struggling to provide for his family by any means necessary. Although Walter has a job, it seems inadequate for his survival. As a result, he has become frustrated and lacks good judgement. Throughout this play Walter searches

In the Southside of Chicago in the 1950’s, the Youngers are a typical poverty stricken family that works hard to be able to rise out of poverty. Each family member has a different dream of being able to reach this goal. Mama has the dream of owning her own house, Walter wants to be able to open a liquor store, Beneatha wants to go to school to become a doctor, and Ruth wants to move out of their current apartment. In the play A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry shows the effect of a deferred dream in Walter Lee’s character.

Walter Younger has dreams to inception his own business because he wants to be able to give his son a better future and he wishes to no longer be chuffer. He wants to use the insurance money

Walter begins to drink, stay away from home, and to constantly argue with his wife, Ruth. Walter's life is contrasted by the role of his recently widowed mother, who holds to more traditional values of acceptance of life's lot and of making the best of any situation. Walter Lee's "Mama" holds Walter's father up as an example of a man with pride and a man that, despite racial injustice in a dualistic society, worked hard to provide for his family. This adds to Walter's frustration. Walter now feels incapable and small in his mama's eyes.

How does a man that struggles to provide for his family while wanting to pursue big personal goals handle his life? For many men, that is a very good question that with a tough answer. In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Walter Lee Younger faces the difficult challenge of raising a family in the 1950s Chicago, which is a heavily racist era. He wants nothing but the best for his family, while also trying to make a name for himself. Walter Lee Younger undergoes many emotional and personality changes, trying to find himself and find out how to provide for his family. From being a man as stubborn as a rock, to one who has learned to appreciate the situations given to him and his family, Walter shows that there can more to life than money

Walter has changed his whole family. He has started so much conflict with all his family. His family at this rate will be better off without him. “You ain’t looked at it yet and you don’t aim to speak on that again? You ain’t looked at it and you have decided-well, you tell that to my boy tonight when you put him to sleep on the living room couch.” This just shows how much he wants to have HER money for himself because he is selfish and a shallow person. He is the reason why the family is tearing apart. Also, Walters actions show how edgy and inpatient he is. (Violently flinging the coat after her) He starts to get very violent, he flings things, slams doors, yells at mama, and starts to get verbally abusive towards her. He doesn’t know how to let things go and how to think in another person’s perspective. He only wants to do what he wants, he doesn’t care what the other family members want he just knows what he wants to get and forces the decision upon them all.

Family interactions play a large and important role in how young girls develop, but often times it is seen that families can affect women’s preconceived beliefs about what they can and cannot do in life. In the book A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Beneatha is a strong woman who dreams of becoming a doctor but, Beneatha’s family constantly tries to debunk these dreams and only worries about Beneatha’s marriage status. " Get over it? What are you talking about, Ruth? Listen, I’m going to be a doctor.

Walter Lee Younger starts off the play as a man who is selfish and immature, willing to put money before family.

Living in a house that only has one bedroom and bathroom for six family members to share can be very difficult and discouraging when faced with the news that you are having another child. Ruth, feeling overwhelmed with trying to keep peace between the family members, decides the best decision to maintain peace in the family is to get an abortion. However, Mama wants Ruth to have this baby, but when Walter finds out about the baby all he cares about is himself and his dream of success. Mamma even tells Walter that Ruth is, "thinking ‘bout getting rid of that child," ( Hansberry 35). However

Throughout the story Ruth and Walter have a little trouble connecting and caring for eachother. So Ruth tries to reach for help in order for her fallen relationship with Walter. “Mama, something is happening between Walter and me. I don’t know what it is – but he needs something – something I can’t give him anymore. He needs this chance, Lena.” (Hansberry 17). Ruth tells Mama this because it exemplifies how Ruth still cares for the family and Walter’s needs. Also, this shows how she believes that maybe Walter’s big dream may be beneficial for the family and their success in the

In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Walter Younger wants to be a “real man”. His dream is to become successful in business and make his family rich. However, when all his money is stolen, he becomes very pessimistic, abandoning the ideas of morality and dignity. At the end of the play, his son Travis inspires him to value his family’s pride over materialism. Over the course of the play, Walter’s view of manhood changes from someone wealthy and successful to a person who has pride and believes in human dignity.

What makes a person make a good choice or a bad choice? What influences that person? Is it the people around that person? These are all questions to wonder about, and in the end of the script it is all answered. Walter in “A Raisin in The Sun,” by Lorraine Hansbery, is a character surrounded by women who do not understand him. Over the course of the story, Walter makes many choices that change their lives in the story, because of Ruth, Beneatha, and Mama.