Ending In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

In the play A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry shows that the ending is more bitter than sweet since the Youngers have some hope for the future, but not enough to forget about the past. The ending can be seen as sweet when Asagai explains to Beneatha that life, “isn't a circle it is simply a long line as in geometry”, and the long line represents an undetermined future, also “because we cannot see the end we also cannot see how it changes.” Additionally, “those who see the changes who dream, who will not give up are called idealists . . . and those who see only the circle we call them the "realists"! (Hansberry 134). Asagai is trying to explain to Beneatha that people who see the circle believe everything can be predicted, and have no motivation (like

“Well we are dead now. All the talk about dreams and sunlight that goes on in this house. It's all dead now” (143). This illustrates that Beneatha has given up on her dreams, saying that they are dead because she can't become a doctor. The reason she can't go to medical school is because Walter gave away Big Walters insurance money to Willy Harris, who then stole it. For this reason, the ending is bitter because Walter gave away money made out of “Big Walters flesh”, causing the family to be torn. Following this, Lindner gives the Youngers a warning saying, “I hope you people know what you're getting into” (149). This foreshadows that something bad may happen at the new house since Linder is telling them that they better know what to expect. Implying that the Youngers could very well be in danger from their white neighbors. As a result, the ending is bitter because there is a fear of the unknown for the Youngers moving into their new home. Finally, the ending is sweet, but more bitter since even though the Youngers have some hope for the future, the past may not enable them to