Raisin In The Sun Values

Your parents never really do understand you. Growing up children and parents are simply destined to butt heads thanks to different ideologies the newer always adapts, much to the bewilderment of the older one. This type of conflict is prominently displayed in Hansberry’s Raisin In The Sun. Walter Lee Young after years of serving as a footman experiences an existential crisis where he realizes he wants to take charge of his, and finally aims to seriously pursue his dreams. This journey is not met without resistance of course. Who else to tell him no other than his dear mother. In fact it’s mama’s resistance of her children ideals that leads to the majority of the conflict throughout the novel.The play treats the generational gaps as the catalyst for all the play’s conflict through Mama’s vexation on Beneatha's outlook, her belief that colored people are meant to working class, and her strict religious principles.

As we see from her first entrance, Beneatha is a loud and outspoken character. She is a single young female living in a home with Ruth and Mama. Quite similar as characters, they share traditional values and believe women should care for the wellbeing of their family. Ruth and Mama take pride in doing domestic service work as their source of income and are continuously seen putting their children’s needs before theirs. Hansberry uses Beneatha’s character to contradict these values and introduce a character with modern feminist views. Beneatha fiercely fires back to anyone who questions her life goals. She is constantly found bickering with Walter about her dream of becoming a doctor. She is reminded by him that “girls” shouldn’t be doctors. Beneatha voices her feelings on male dependency when she mentions to Mama and Ruth “Listen, I’m going to be a doctor. I’m not worried about who I’m going to marry yet - if I ever get married”, and they respond with a shocked “if!”(50). The idea of a woman not wanting to get married was shocking to Mama and Ruth. Beneatha feels that she does not need to be dependent on a man; she has one goal, to become a doctor. She does not need a man in her life, she feels perfectly

Beneatha, being somewhat of an outcast, understands that she does not have to follow the status quo of her society by becoming a housewife, so she decides to work hard in order to become a doctor. Beneatha wants to fulfill this dream because she realizes that she enjoys helping people, as she explains to Asagai after the money is stolen, “That was what one person could do for another, fix him up — sew up the problem, make him right again” (III.i.900). Beneatha wishes to help people by taking care of them and ridding them of their problems. She does not want to become the typical, by standing woman that is not able to help if there is a dilemma. Even after Willy runs off with all of the money, Asagai offers Beneatha a way to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor. Beneatha reveals this wonderful opportunity to Mama as they exit their apartment, “To go to Africa, Mama -- be a doctor in Africa”

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.

In A Raisin in the Sun, Beneatha is an African American woman in the 1950’s who is determined to put her education first and one day become a doctor. Ruth tries to convince Beneatha to marry George because he is a rich man; however, Beneatha responds that “[she’s] going to be a doctor. [She’s] not worried about who [she’s] going to marry yet-if [she] ever gets married” (Hansberry, 1959, p. 936). After this discussion, Beneatha’s discipline and mindset is revealed. Beneatha clearly shows that she is more committed to her education than any other aspect of her life.

Walter’s believes in the beginning, of the book to be a man you have to be career oriented and making enough money to provide for your family. In the beginning of the book, Ruth is making eggs for Walter as they discuss what to do with the money from the life insurance. Ruth is focused on making breakfast while Walter is focused on how a man would respond as, “I got to change my life, I’m choking to death, baby!.” (37) The fact that it’s choking walter to death that he can not provide for his family and be successful without the life insurance money shows that his mainfocus is achieving for his family . Walter believes his family should not only have enough money to get by, but thinks they should have a surplus of material objects. Walter tells Mama, “sometimes when I’m downtown and I pass them cool, quiet-looking restaurants where them white boys are sitting back and talking ’bout things … sitting there turning deals worth millions of dollars …”sometimes I see guys don’t look much older than me.” (76) As Walter sees his opportunity start to pass he starts to see he need to start focusing on his career.

Beneatha is chasing her dream by her wanting to become a doctor. Beneatha was a very pretty, nice, and a thoughtful person. She didn’t care about others and what they thought of her. Beneatha try's everything she can to be a doctor. "I am going to be a doctor, I'm not worried about anything else" (Hansberry 50). She values her family's views but her desire is to become a doctor first and live happy. Although, she is trying to chase her dreams she try's new things. She also shows how understanding she is when

She wants to be a medical doctor in a field of medicine that is dominated by white males. She has her mind set on being something better than her brother ever was. She is a rare commodity for a African American, because most women would have not chosen to become a doctor. She is so focused on achieving her dreams that she doesn’t stop and see what her family needs. She rebels against her family because they do not believe she can accomplish her dream, especially her brother Walter “Who the hell told you you have to be a doctor? If you so crazy ‘bout messing ‘round with sick people—then go be a nurse like other women—or just get married and be quiet…”(Hansberry). She takes his words and works harder towards her dream, and doesn’t feel like she needs them at all “I have never asked anyone around here to do anything for me!” (Hansberry). She is becoming more and more withdrawn from the family much to her mother’s disappointment. She also is trying to find her own self-image, and throughout the play we see her dreams change between each scene. Like all college students, Beneatha is trying to find herself. George and Joseph Asagai both help her find her inner Beneatha by showing her what she wants to become, and what she doesn’t. George is a well off black man who Beneatha family approves of very much. George is educated and wealthy, but he “assimilates”,

In the book “A Raisin in The Sun”, by Robert Nemiroff. The two characters that have the most contribution to the plot development, including actions, and conflict. Ruth and Walter Younger are characters that affect the plot development. Because of these characters in the story their relationship creates conflict between these two people, which causes conflict throughout the family also through the plot development. Since the actions of Ruth and Walter towards each other, it causes them stress which puts heavy weight on their shoulders that is not needed for them and their family.

     Walter dreams of owning a liquor store, and he shows this throughout the whole play. Walter feels that “don’t nothing happen for you in this world ‘less you pay somebody off!” Owning a liquor store is Walter’s American dream, as he believes that it will provide him and his family with a greater income so they will not have to live in poverty anymore. However, Hansberry shows through Mama how they have different views of the American dream when she tells Walter that the liquor store would be un-Christian like and that they should spend the money on a new house instead. Hansberry makes Mama more convincing by showing her carrying a Bible as she comes out of her room in the first scene. Mama also is seen asking God for help and talking about God throughout the play. This is shown when Walter admits that the money Mama gave him was gone because his partner took it and Mama says “Oh, God… look down here – and show me the strength.” Mama is very angry that Walter wasted all of Beneatha’s school money, but she doesn’t let her temper get the best of her and instead goes to God for support.

In Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, she uses the characters Beneatha and Walter to show the generation gap from Mama to her children, the generation gap causes a clash between values of new and old. Mama’s children are obsessed with money and the future, while all Mama cares about is freedom and her family.

Today I began reading the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. This play follows the life of a poor African American family, the Youngers, trying to get by on the little money they have. The Younger family of five live in a small apartment in Chicago. The family consists of Walter Younger, Ruth, his wife, Travis, their son, Beneatha, Walter’s sister, and Lena, Walter and Beneatha’s mother. The first person we learn about is Ruth. Ruth is a very independent woman that runs the household. Although Ruth is in her thirties, she is aging due to stress. Walter wants to be very successful and wants to invest into a liquor store. Travis is the young son of Ruth and Walter. Beneatha is very intelligent and attends college in hopes of becoming

In the critically acclaimed play A Raisin in the sun, Lorraine Hansberry uses Beneatha Younger as a symbol for women wanting more than to just be a housewife. The play takes place in the 1950’s, right after WWII and at the beginning of the cold war. All the men came home from the war and took their jobs back, causing women to revert to the traditional housekeeping ways. However, there was a mix between those who succumbed to social expectations and those who wanted more in life.

Walter tells Beneatha that he does not understand why she wants to become a doctor instead of being a nurse or getting married like “other women” (Washington). During the time of this play men did not see a problem with telling women how they should or should not act.