Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

In the end, Walter comes to a realization when Travis is looking upon him that he does not want to give up his dignity, he steps up and becomes a man for his family. “And we have decided to move into our house because my father- my father- he earned it for us brick by brick.” This signifies that the money they still have would be invested into the house because they could create new memories and aspirations there. The family all had plans of doing something with the money, but in the end, they all agreed upon purchasing the house and that can represent that family can stay together during tough times and hardships. “What I mean to tell is that we come from people who had a lot of pride. I mean- We are very proud people” The Younger family know that Walter has finally become a man, and they are very proud of him. Walter will not give up on himself and his family, he will remain ambitious and face the future with his family.

The idea of family is a central theme in Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun. Hansberry alludes to the Old Testament book of Ruth in her play to magnify “the value of having a home and family”(Ardolino 181). The Younger family faces hardships that in the moment seem to tear them apart from one another, but through everything, they stick together. The importance of family is amplified by the choices of Walter and Beneatha because they appear to initiate fatal cracks in the Younger family’s foundation, but Mama is the cement who encourages her family to pull together as one unit. The hardships of the family help develop a sense of unity for the Younger household.

Many people go through different moralities in there life some that they believe can change their life for the better but don’t know the consequences. This ties in with issues involving money. Many people believe that money is the way to happiness and do what they can to get money even if it means to hurt your loved ones. In the play “Raisin in the Sun” Walter Lee Younger is man that lives in South Side Chicago and at point in life that he’s in, he wants to do something in his life and make a difference for colored people. The way he believes he can accomplish that is by opening a bar to make money for his family while believing money is the only source of happiness. Walters ideal morality was to make sure he got his hands on the insurance money so he could open up the bar even if it meant his family would suffer when things went wrong.

His search for wealth not only affects himself but also his family. Not only does Walter ask Mama for his father’s life insurance money, he also refuses to act responsibly with his wealth “In fact, here’s another fifty cents…Buy yourself some fruit today—or take a taxicab to school or something” (31)! In this quote, Walter gives money to Travis against Ruth’s wishes. The passage exemplifies Walter’s desires to have power and wealth. He takes power from Ruth by going against what she has already told Travis. Walter uses money as a way to exercise this power, even if it may not be pragmatic for the family. From his perspective, he has the right to exercise his authority, because he is the man of the house. Walter thinks he has to exert this power due to his feelings of insecurity. He feels left out of prosperity and notices many instances of wealth in the outside

Mama seeing that her own son is being destroyed because his dream has been deferred makes a large decision. Mama realizes that it is time for Walter Lee to become the head of the house. By giving Walter the remaining sixty-five hundred dollars of the insurance check she shows that she trusts Walter. By doing this it makes Walter the head of the Younger’s house along with resurging his dream. Walter’s attitude towards every character is changed. He sits his son Travis down and asks ‘“...what kind of man you going to be when you grow up[?]”’(495) Travis responded with wanting to be a bus driver, but Walter being happy tells Travis to aim higher.

Lorraine Hansberry was a writer during the Great Depression and the Civil Rights Movement. She was the first woman, the first black person, and the youngest person to get a show on broadway with her hit A Raisin in the Sun. The name comes from Langston Hughes’ famous poem Harlem (Dream Deferred) where Lorraine got all of her inspiration from. Harlem is about what happens when you put off a dream for too long. In A Raisin in the Sun Hansberry uses the characters Walter, Beneatha, and Momma to show the consequences of deferring your dreams.

Mama is an exquisite character, she is the head of the house and has also shared some very strong and powerful thoughts with Walter. For example, “If you a son of mine, tell her! You…. you are a disgrace to your father’s memory. Somebody get me my hat!” This quote is an example of Mama being an exquisite character because this is the most vivid thing Mama said. Mama was saying this to Walter, showing her humiliation towards hi actions, and the man he is starting to become. Additionally, “Mama absorbs this speech, studies her daughter and rises slowly and crosses at Beneatha and slaps her powerfully across the face. After…. her” These are stage direction of Mama, and this is showing that Mama has a line and the way Beneatha

Yessir- whatever you want to be- you name it son! And I?ll hand you the world.? (108-09). Walter?s false confidence allows him to make such a strong promise to Travis. Walter is unable to see that these things he is promising Travis quite easily may not become reality because he is solely focused on his dreams. Therefore, he believes everything he promises as a result of his dream will become a reality. Furthermore, as a result of his sole focus on dreams, Walter is unable to associate himself with decent people. The prime example of this poor association is Willy Harris. At this present time in the novel, Walter is seeing the true extent of his impaired judgment due to focus on his dreams. As he discusses his ?business transaction? with Bobo, one of his colleagues, Walter is unable to see Willy Harris for the true epitomic evil doer he is. As his evident mental block continues, Bobo gives him insight on the growing problem, ??what?s a matter with you, Walter! When a cat takes with your money he don?t leave you no road maps.?? (128). Walter is beginning to learn the consequences of trusting a malevolent man like Willy Harris. Walter is solely focused on his dreams and quite palpably, it was a mistake. His judgment is so impaired, he trusts this man with the money Mama selflessly gives to him and his sister and it instantly vanishes. Finally, Walter is unable to see he is affecting those around him because he is singularly focused on

Mama says this after Beneatha tells Mama that there is nothing left in her brother, Walter to love. Mama’s dream of a better quality of life is deferred because she has carry the responsibility of tending to a family with so much indifference and of holding together the few pieces of her family left together.

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.

He changed but it was through the hard way. There is a saying in my country “the child who doesn’t listen will suffer”, this is exactly what happened to Walter. He did not listened to his family so he suffered the consequences of his stubbornness. The place where we the readers saw a great change in Walter was when Mr. Lindner was trying to convince the family not to move to Clybourne Park, a predominately white neighborhood. Walter invited Mr. Lindner and told him: "We come from people with a lot of pride.

Travis impacted the way the story turned out because every time things took a turn for the worst, the family fixed it to set a good example for him. Whenever Walter was being irresponsible and making bad choices, Mama would remind him that he had a son who looked up to he and that he

Lorraine Hansberry was born in Chicago on May 19, 1930. Growing up on Chicago's south side, in a middle class african american family with four other siblings . Hansberry’s childhood took a very big part in the writing of A Raisin In The Sun . During 1938 Hansberry and her family had moved into an all white neighborhood , where they were faced with a traumatic and racist experience; The family had fought against the segregation and racism pointed towards their children. Hansberry was almost killed from a brick flying through the window of her house sent flying from a hostile neighbor. After these traumatic events the Hansberry family was left with no choice, but to keep fighting.

The relationship between Mama and Walter is the most important to the play. Mama often accuses Walter on the loss of his family values, saying he is ‘a disgrace to your father’s memory’ (A.1S.2). Mama takes the power away from Walter at this point, showing that despite the man being

A Raisin in Sun is the play written by Lorraine Hansberry. The play tells a story of the Youngers, a lower class black family living in Chicago. The family struggles financially however; their story is about to change because Lena (mama) receives insurance policy money of her deceased husband Mr Big Walter Younger. However, each member of the younger family wants to fulfil their dream from $10, 0000. Walter Lee the first born and main protagonist wants to become his own boss by opening a liquor store, Beneatha wants to fulfil her dream of becoming a medical doctor, Ruth and Lena shares the same dream of buying a house and living a comfortable life.