Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

Walter is one of the characters to impact the play. His main goal is to get Mama’s money that would be coming the next day so he can open his very own business. The conflict of this is that all the talking about the cash and the idea of getting a liquor business makes most of the family disagree with it. The family would rather use the currency for something more important. Walter talks with his wife, Ruth, and states “you see, this little liquor store we got in mind cost seventy-five thousand.” Ruth at this time, is trying to avoid the subject because she didn’t want to talk about the money.

It seems as Ruth is seeking out for love and affection from her husband, as this is exciting news, a new baby. However, because her husband seems interested in a liquor store, and does not have time to speak to

“A Raisin In The Sun” is a play in which Lorraine Hansberry, the author, shows on how money can have a major effect on many people’s lives. Walter, the main character, experiences on how the theme Money and Mortality has affected his own life. In the play “A Raisin In The Sun” Lorraine Hansberry uses certain characters to show the theme Money and Mortality, such as Walter, Beneatha and Mama.

The story of this play is simple and the majority of African-Americans faced such issues in the 1950’s, living on the south side of Chicago, struggles with poverty, dignity and dreams of a better life. Wanting better for your children and trying to fit in, while maintaining family values. A Raisin in the Sun is an excellent example of the relationship between family values and conflict. In this play it portrays: values and purpose of dreams, the need to fight for racial discrimination and the importance of family.

       Walter was upset when he heard his mother had spent the insurance money on the house and thought it wasn't fair that Beneatha got some of it for her medical school while he got nothing for his liquor store business. Lena, who always wanted her son to be happy, trustingly gave the rest of the insurance money to Walter. Holding the money in his hands, Walter thanked his mother and appreciated the trust she had in him. Walter then gave the money to his buddies to help him getting his liquor license without realizing that they betrayed him. As his dream crumbled to pieces, Walter was regret that he didn't listen to his mother, wife and sister.

The play “ A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry shows three generation of women under the same roof and the struggle each women face, the dreams that they had and how they overcome the obstacle in their life to move on to something better. The women in the family has had to sacrifice a lot to make the family either happy or progress further in life.

This caused tension among the family for there was constant arguing and bicke- ring. This situation is far to common in families today, particularly is there is money involved and everyone has their own dreams as to what to do with it. At the end of the play Walter looses $6,500 dollars therefore hindering his and Benetha’s dream. Lena held onto her dream by moving the family to the new house.

As the events unfold the money is lost, without the money Walter thinks his dreams are gone. Mama on the other hand feels that with the money gone, it will not change things, she thinks they can make due. Throughout, all of this both Mama and Walter seem to have forgotten about Ruth and the baby on the way. The fact appears to be that neither of them have considered what is really necessary for the family to grow and have the environment it needs to be healthy. Once they both are able look at the bigger picture they realize sometimes they have to give up their dreams and things they want for the good and growth of the younger

One way Beneatha and Walter are contrasting characters is through how they view success in the world and for the greater good of themselves. On one hand, Beneatha wants to be a doctor, helping other people, whether it be in her hometown, another state, or, even, another country. On the other hand, Walter believes that he needs to be financially successful to have a life worth living and all of his arguments or presented ideas revolve around one idea and material, money. When Walter felt that the majority of the money the family was making, between every family member’s cumulative work, was only going to benefit Beneatha and her dreams, he exclaims that, “I don’t want nothing but for you to stop acting holy ‘round here. Me and Ruth done made some

Ruth cares for her already-living family and decides their low socioeconomic status would make it difficult to support a baby. When Ruth sees her family unifying and stabilizing with the big move, she changes her mind, she softens, welcoming a new addition to their family; an idea that she rejected shortly before. However, Walter is too focused on accomplishing his own dreams and fails to see the results of his negligence to his family. Unlike Ruth, Walter does not immediately believe in the brief stability of his family, and instead, hopes to find success, become the man of the house, and change the Younger pride. He blames his family members for being a hinderance to his dreams.

Harsh situations are not always meant to cause disappointment, sometimes they are meant to make people stronger. In A Raisin in the Sun which is a play composed by Lorraine Hansberry, concentrates on a family that faces situations, by racial discrimination and economic complications. Despite the financial and racial issues the family faces, the Younger family will persevere. Economic issues occur in major parts to their way of living.

The story in the play revolves around a $10,000 check from an insurance company, which Mama receives after the death of her husband, and every member of the family wants to use the money in her/ his own ways to benefit the entire family.

Halfway through the play, Walter tries to explain that he wants more out of his life, and Lena says that he has all he needs- a wife, a family, and a job. Walter then gets even angrier and says “Mama, a job? I open and close doors all day long. I drive a man around in his limousine and I say ‘Yes sir’; ‘No sir”; ‘Very good sir’; ‘Shall I take the drive sir?’ Mama that aint no kind of job” (Miller, pg 107). Walter’s dream to be rich drives him to the brink of insanity. Finally, Lena decides that she will give him the money to invest in a liquor store. She keeps part of the money to invest in a house, and gives him the rest of it. She tells him to put three thousand dollars in an account for Bonita’s tuition, and the rest is his to invest in the liquor store. Instead of putting any money in an account for Beneatha, Walter gives it all to one of his partners to invest in the store. He is told he will get enough of it back in a few days, so he can put the money in the account. As it turns out, his partner ends up leaving town with the money, and never coming back. Walter lost the bulk of the check. His dream to have money, to be somebody, to be rich; leads to his downfall. Instead, he ends up losing the money that could have helped the family as a whole. Not only did he set himself back, but he also set Beneatha back. Not only did he ruin his dream, but he also ruined his

Showing his frustration to his mother, Walter does not feel like he will ever acquire his dream because he feels like he never got the chance or opportunity to. The inability of not able to provide a better life for his household is causing him to stress, act out of character and clouding his decision making. With nowhere else to turn he thought he could use his father’s life insurance money to invest into a liquor store which turned into a scam. Walter feeling trapped from making advancements in life, he makes a huge mistake and learns from this error. In the play Walter is talking to mother describing his anger,

Although, Lena hits a big part of the plot, her son, Walter, seems to have the same size amount of influencing. Walter comes off as a very stubborn, abate, conundrum, and pessimistic man. When, Walter is just an ordinary guy trying to provide wealth, and care, for his family. And to make his home life, more livable. Once the Younger’s father had passed away, Walter seemed to only care about using up his insurance check more than anything. Only, to invest into a liquor store. Walter has got himself so beyond caught up with the money, that he doesn’t seem to notice the fact that his marriage is starting to fall apart. Every time Ruth tries to talk to Walter about something serious, he turns his cold shoulder on her, and always ends up with an inevitable remark such