Raisin In The Sun Family

In a carefully worded essay I will discuss the aspect of ‘race’ as a hindrance to the

Mama is a Christian and was clearly bothered by the fact that her daughter Beneatha did not believe in God. The other struggle comes with Walter’s obsession for money using his rich-quicks schemes. She entrusted Walter with the $6,500 that he later completely loses. In the end she is happy with Walter’s better decisions at the end, of the play.

After Mama tells Walter she was out taking care of business Walter replies with ”What kind of business?” This short simple reply from Walter gives the effect that he’s worried about something and wants an answer quick. Walter being in such a state of worrisome shows that he is really worried about the money and if Mama spent it or not. The insurance money was key to Walter’s plans of owning his own liquor store. After Mama isn’t quick to answer Walter’s first few questions he grows even more restless and says, “Where were you, Mama? Mama, you didn’t do something with that insurance money, something crazy?” Finally, Mama answers saying she took care of business Walter gets even more upset because he could tell she used the insurance money and could almost see his dream crumbling before his very own eyes. Lorraine Hansberry asks numerous questions when she writes as Walter in order to create a sense of urgency and worry on the whereabouts of the money. This is an example that supports the theme because Walter dreamt of having his own liquor store while Mama and much of their family dreamt of living in a nicer house, which she decided to

`s are Walter Lee Younger and Lena Younger. In Raisin in the Sun Mama and Walter’s American dreams conflict and impact the family through materialism and desire to be the ideal American family in society.

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 does not feel like he is the man of the house so Mama and Walter sit down and discuss it. She tells him,

In the book “A Raisin in the Sun”, love is defiantly a major key towards keeping the “Younger” family together as they go through thick and thin. Multiple times in the book, a character known as “Walter” apart of the Younger family screws up, whether it be, pursuing a silly addictive dream or investing family money, it never turned out well for Walter. Walter’s mom, Lena aka “mama” however, always loved Walter and although didn’t show it often, supported his drive to strive for greatness and greatly awarded him near the end of the book. Walter’s sister Beneatha however, was not impressed at his short comings and often called him out where he fell short by belittling him with insults but, that

Her passionate way of talking about the new house shows her full grown dream similar to a full grown grape. The transition to the raisin is seen when Mama states, “ seen him grow thin and old before he was forty … working and working and working like somebody’s old horse … killing himself … and you —you give it all away in a day—” (Hansberry 129) This shows her desperate tone as her dreams and her hopes are dried out by Walter, similar to a grape being dried out into a raisin. This signifies the importance of Big Walter, and how he has influenced Mama’s dream to give the best to her children.

Although she is happy with mama’s decision to buy a house, Ruth is more concerned with receiving the affection of her husband and keeping him happy than the consequences or the moral implications his decisions will have. Ruth maintains the apartment they live in and most of the time, goes along with whatever Walter says. This is where Ruth and Mama differ; Mama wants Walter to be happy but not at the cost of doing something morally wrong, Ruth will do whatever it takes to make Walter happy. We see this when Ruth is contemplating having an abortion in order not to complicate living arrangements in the apartment and to allow Walter the financial means to pursue his goals. She also intends to keep it from Walter so spare him the burden of having to make a decision like that. When Mama find out about the abortion, she is appalled and says, “…we a people who give children life, not who destroys them.” Mama also succeeds in expressing her rich values and nurturing nature in Act III, Scene Three, when it is discovered that Walter has lost the remainder of the insurance money when his liquor store investment partner disappears with the money. Beneatha goes into a rage and openly expresses her hatred and contempt for her brother, and says, “He’s no brother of mine.”(Hansbury 3.3)

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.

Mama is stable and solid, unwavering with the winds of change and the force of opposition. She takes charge of the Younger family with the strength and determination of a woman who has the experience and wisdom of living. With this sensibility she will not be challenged in the authority she holds, which is evidenced by the way she speaks also to Walter. "I don't 'low no yellin' in this house, Walter Lee, and you know it" (Hansberry 70). Her strength is also apparent as she refuses defeat even though they face opposition from Karl Lindner and the prospect of hostility and harassment in their new neighborhood. Mama stands firm in her decision to move into Clybourne Park. She is fully aware of the danger that will accompany their move, but says only, "Father, give us strength" (Hansberry 120).

In the book A Raisin in the Sun by Larraine Hansberry, Walter and Mama are the two most influential characters to the plot. Walter is obnoxious and always thinks about himself while Mama is forceful and very strict. They both play a major role in the story. Both have changed or impacted the plot and characters feelings and or thoughts. Without them in the story it would be very different.

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.

Family is important to live a happy, healthy life. A poor, black family, the Youngers, live together in a small house in Chicago in the 1950s. Their main focus is not getting money, but staying together and loving each other. Lena, Walter's mother, is the head of the family and live out the moral of the importance of family. Throughout A Raisin in the Sun, Lena attempts to bring her plant back to life, which can be a symbol of the family struggling.

Lorraine Hansberry’s novel, A Raisin in the Sun, revolves around a middle-class African-American family, struggling during World War II. By reading about the Younger’s true to life experiences, one learns many important life lessons. One of the aforementioned would be that a person should always put family’s needs before their own. There are many examples of this throughout the novel. Just a few of these would be the example of Ruth and her unborn baby, Walter regaining the respect of his family, and Mama and her unselfish ways.