“Raisin in the sun” by Lorraine Hansberry according to Dreams Deterred: A Study of Lorraine Hansberry’s Raisin in the Sun is the first African American novel played by Broadway (Al-Duleimy). In this novel Lorraine Hansberry write about the dreams of a colored family, and the difficulties of each member of this family to realize their dreams. “What is so interesting is that these dreams are deferred and finally deterred, because simply they are built on the wrong premises” (Al-Duleimy, 538). Each of family member based their dreams with materialism. Lorraine criticizes the discriminatory and racial climate in America in the 1950s.The novel takes the place in a small neighborhood in Chicago. The Youngers faces the complicated racial fight between …show more content…
Beneatha is Walter Lee´s little sister. She is very smart. Beneatha thinks that she is always right. Beneatha want to become a doctor in the future. She say everything that is on her mind and nothing makes her happy. She is always fighting with Walter Lee about the decision of become a doctor. Karl Linder, is the member of the Clybourne Park Improvement Association. He is in charge to maintain the living conditions for the people of Clybourne Park. He comes to the Youngers apartment with concerns about the new house that they have just bought. Linder believed that “people get along better... when they share a common background” (Hansberry 117). He offered money to the Youngers to not move into the house. The entire family lives in a tinny department. It consist in only two rooms, the large one serve ads both living room and kitchen. Mama and Beneatha share the only real room of the apartment. Walter and Ruth´ bedroom is a small space close to the kitchen. They share the bathroom with their neighbor. They are a poor family, the difficult circumstances its makes that this family just leave their dreams behind to continue living. “Dreams are the only thing they have in this world” …show more content…
However Walters places his own dream, and money, before the values of liberty, respect, and love. “Mama: Sun—how come you talk so much „bout money? Walter: (With immense passion). Because it is life, Mama! Mama: (Quietly). Oh—(Very quietly). So now it‟s life. Money is life. Once upon a time, freedom used to be life—now it‟s money. I guess the world really do change… Walter: No—it was always money, Mama. We just didn‟t know about it. (Hansberry, 514). Walter desperation increases when he sees that Mama it is an obstacle in his dreams. Mama, has to make a decision, about what to do with the money. She gives a down payment for a house. She chose a house in a withe neighbor, Clybourne Park. When Mama gives the new to their children Beneatha and Ruth were very happy. The only person that upset is Walter. She sees how her son´s dreams have consume his soul. As result, So, Mama´s gives a big responsibility to Walter Lee. She wants that her son feel the value of responsibility, which is lost with his actions. Mama gives the head the family to her son Walter hopping he would understand the
In the story, Mama puts Walter in charge of handling the Life Insurance which turns out to be a big mistake. This action makes Beneatha very unhappy, and although Mama expresses anger at Walter, she can be blamed for not handling the situation herself. The negative effect of this decision is shown through the character of Beneatha, who cries and complains to her boyfriend Asagai. “Too many things --” she says, “too many things have happened today. I must sit down and think.”
In the play, Walter would get angry and go out to drink and come home drunk. That changed when Mama appeased and gave him the money. In the text Mama says,” I want you to take this money and take three thousand dollars and put it in a savings account for Beneatha’s medical schooling. The rest you put in a checking account with your name on it” (Hansberry 107). This shows though Mama gave Walter the money she gave him specific directions in what to do with half of it.
Beneatha wants to study to become a doctor, but instead Walter Lee wants to spend his family’s insurance money so he can open a liquor store with Willy and Bobo his friends and be a man. Since Walter Lee and his family were in a bad position and were very poor it was Walter Younger’s responsibility to keep the family together and he saw this a very big responsibility. He frequently complained about being a chauffeur and ridding rich people, every day when he woke up in the morning. He would always fight with his wife Ruth, Mama and his sister Beneatha. For instance (Hansberry 32-34) he says to Ruth his wife “You tired, ain’t you?
At one point in the story, Mama decides to give Walter the money to support his business because she felt as if she owed Walter. But, she
When Walter states the family will be moving into the house despite Lindner’s offer supports the importance of fighting against racial discrimination, which ties into the idea of the rejection of assimilation seen with Beneatha’s
Beneatha’s money too?” (29) after she finds out he just blew all of the money. This quote emphasises the discomfort and pure shock and disappointment of Mama at losing all of the money. Mama also cries in the play, "You mean your sister 's school money, you used that too?" (29) revealing her discomfort and despair in this quote shows just how upset that she is that Walter has gone and blown all of Beneatha’s money that was going to be her future on his little gamble.
The family starts to tear apart as Walter decides to sell the house to Mr. Lindner and take the check. Mama and Beneatha try to explain to Walter that their family, through generations, would have never thought about taking money in hard times. Beneatha then begins saying that their dream of moving to a new house is now dead, which Walter replies, “What’s the matter with you all! I didn’t make this world. It was give to me this way!
Once upon a time freedom used to be life now its money. I guess the world really do change. (Hansberry 2). This evidence suggests that times have changed and money becomes a conflict in everyday life. But, it becomes a
Nearing the end of the play, Walter finally finds true pride after rejecting Mr.Lindner’s final offer of money to keep the Younger family out of Clybourne Park. As soon as Mr.Lindner arrived at the apartment, he sat at the dining room table, took out his checkbook, and invited whomever was negotiating the deal to sit across from him. Mama sends Walter forward to confirm the deal as Ruth attempts to send Travis out of the room, but Mama stops him saying “No. Travis, you stay right here. And you make him understand what you doing. ..
(Hansberry 197-198). Lena’s trying to tell Walter that money does not determine a
Each of the adult members of the family has an idea as to what he or she would like to do with this money. Ruth and mama shows love through their close relationship. Although Ruth wanted to have the baby, she had to sacrifice the baby and she morally said,“yes i would too, Walter. (pause). i gave her a five dollar payment.”
Hardships of the Youngers In Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun, the characters of Mama, Walter ,and Beneatha are faced with hardships associated with their dreams being destroyed by discriminatory housing,racial inequality and lack of support from her family towards her education. In the play all the characters have some kind of dream. Mama wants to get a house for the family, Walter wants to have money to provide for his family and plans to do that with a liquor store, and Beneatha wants to become a doctor. Beneatha is going to school and at the same time she’s trying to discover herself,but her family is not supportive of this.
, But are consistently being differed. Lena Younger, otherwise known as, “Mama” is Walter and Beneatha’s mother and the head of the household. With her deceased husbands ten thousand dollar insurance check Lena bought a three thousand-dollar house with a garden where her family would be happy and hopes to save the rest of the money for Beneatha’s medical school. Lena’s dream, “ Festers like a sore” and is the only dream that somewhat comes true.
A Raisin in the Sun addresses major social issues such as racism and feminism which were common in the twentieth century. The author, Lorraine Hansberry, was the first playwright to produce a play that portrayed problematic social issues. Racism and gender equality are heavily addressed throughout the play. Even though we still have these issues today, in the 1950’s and 60’s the issues had a greater part in society. Racism and gender have always been an issue in society, A Raisin in the Sun is an important piece of American history during that time period.
Trusting Walter, her son, she mistakenly gave him the money. Mama specifically told Walter to put away some money away for Beneatha Walter's sister. Like Walter Beneatha has big dreams. She wants to go to medical school