Walter A Raisin In The Sun Character Analysis Essay

Walter comes up with another plan to take money from Linder, president of the Clyburn home association. Earlier, he offered the family money not to move in their neighborhood but Walter declined. However, after his devastating loss, he called up Linder to make a deal to get more money. Walter Younger’s defining moment was when Mama told him he was not a man and his father would not be pleased with his decision. This seemed to cause something to rise in him to change his perspective on

Walter believes that money will solve all of their problems and he speaks about money constantly "because it is life [. . .]"(1010). Walter's selfishness can be seen at the climax of the play when the family finds out that Willy has ran away with the money: "I never. . . went to the bank at all. . ."(1032). Consequently, Walter used the money to begin his own business.

Walter redeems himself when he refuses to take the money from Mr. Lindner. Though he was completely willing to swallow his pride for the sake of his family. This shows that Walter would do what it takes for the overall well-being of his family.

Determined. Greedy. Committed. Walter Lee Young selfish in his ways, believing his dream could become reality. Walter is willing to do anything to give his family everything he never had. The liquor business is uncertain for the future. Walter Lee Younger, a young defiant, ambitious man, determined to own a business and provide a better life for his family, learns a difficult lesson about hardships. Walter is positive that the business will be successful, even with the negative energy from his family. After learning these hardships is his dream of being partners with Bobo and Willie in the liquor business worth it?

He thinks about Ruth, his wife, and treating her better when he thinks about becoming wealthy from the liquor store business. He talks about his dream to his son and tells him that he would buy Ruth a good car, “Rich people don’t have to be flashy…though I’ll have to get something a little sportier for Ruth—maybe a Cadillac convertible to do her shopping in…” (109). Walter is not a selfish person; he does not want to get rich only to make his own life better and buy himself a yacht, but he also cares deeply about his family. Moreover, Walter wants to improve Ruth’s job, and it is seen when Mama does not want to invest in his liquor store, he mentions Ruth: “Yeah—and tell it to my wife, Mama, tomorrow when she has to go out of here to look after somebody else’s kids” (71). His heart aches seeing his wife work to take care of others’ kids when she should be looking after her own, and he blames it on himself and his inability. After losing the check money, he calls Lindner, a white man, to pay them money for not moving into an all-white neighborhood. Again, his behavior seems irresponsible to other people in his family, but he just wants to get as much money back as possible to make up for the money he wastes. He says that Lindner would get in their house and he would be, “able to write checks for more than [they] ever had” (143). He is not trying to be selfish after all; he just wants to put pearls around his wife’s neck: “Yes, I want to hang some real pearls ‘round my wife’s neck. Ain’t she supposed to wear no pearls?” (143). His intentions are all for a good purpose, and it is very simple, just the rest of his family does not support him and does not agree with his

     Tom and Walter are in similar situations. They are living almost in poverty, and they are denied authority. Walter’s goal is not selfish, in that it is not just for him, but also for the benefit of the entire family.

Walter does not have control over his own responsibilities. Therefore, if he was given all the resources needed to provide his family his poor judgement and lack of business sense would create further stress on the family. Ruth, Mama, and his sister Beanetha attack him from every angle about his doubtful ideals. Ironically, those ideals are what Walter needs to shape and justify his manhood. Without ideals and proper resources to obtain them, a man's existence can be regarded as insignificant. There are many obstacles in the way of Walter?s dream of opening a liquor store, as he tries to explain to his wife, Ruth, about what he has to do, ?Baby, don?t nothing happen for you in this world ?less you pay somebody off!?(Hansberry 33) Walter's determination to open the liquor store can be viewed as means to an end to his family?s hardships.

In Lorraine's Hansberry A Raisin In The Sun. Walter wants to make money to support his family. He wants money because he thinks it makes him a “man”. How ever when his money is stolen, Walter’s perceptions of manhood shifts from valuing wealth and power to valuing family and pride.

Suddenly, things changed, and Walter and his family came into quite a bit of money. Walter’s mama got a check for ten thousand dollars from her husbands life insurance after he passed away, which was a lot of money in that period of time. A nice house or a liquor store could easily be bought with half of the money from the check. Since the check was actually written out to mama, the money was all technically hers, so all that she wanted to do with it was buy her new house for her family, but stubborn Walter, he wanted his liquor store, and would stop at nothing to get it. When he finally realized that his mama was never going to give him the money to get the liquor store, he took it upon himself to get it himself. He eventually stole a portion of his mama’s money to get the store, but he was taken for a fool when the other person that he was making a deal with, stole all of his money. Now he had nothing, and mama had only some of her money.

Yessir- whatever you want to be- you name it son! And I?ll hand you the world.? (108-09). Walter?s false confidence allows him to make such a strong promise to Travis. Walter is unable to see that these things he is promising Travis quite easily may not become reality because he is solely focused on his dreams. Therefore, he believes everything he promises as a result of his dream will become a reality. Furthermore, as a result of his sole focus on dreams, Walter is unable to associate himself with decent people. The prime example of this poor association is Willy Harris. At this present time in the novel, Walter is seeing the true extent of his impaired judgment due to focus on his dreams. As he discusses his ?business transaction? with Bobo, one of his colleagues, Walter is unable to see Willy Harris for the true epitomic evil doer he is. As his evident mental block continues, Bobo gives him insight on the growing problem, ??what?s a matter with you, Walter! When a cat takes with your money he don?t leave you no road maps.?? (128). Walter is beginning to learn the consequences of trusting a malevolent man like Willy Harris. Walter is solely focused on his dreams and quite palpably, it was a mistake. His judgment is so impaired, he trusts this man with the money Mama selflessly gives to him and his sister and it instantly vanishes. Finally, Walter is unable to see he is affecting those around him because he is singularly focused on

Although one might argue that Walter Lee Younger, main character, did not make all of the right decisions in the story, he did indeed make the right choices in a selfish attempt to make his dreams come true. He even sacrificed his sister’s dreams, and his still did not. “‘Mama… I never… went to the bank at all…’ ‘You mean… your sister’s school money… you used that too… Walter?’ (Hansberry 129)

. There are many obstacles in the way of Walter's dream of opening a liquor store, as he tries to explain to his wife, Ruth, about what he has to do, "Baby, don't nothing happen for you in this world ‘less you pay somebody off!"(Hansberry 33) Walter's determination to open the liquor store can be viewed as means to an end to his family's hardships.

However, his family is not to keen on the idea of investing the money in a liquor store and Walter cannot fathom why. His frustration builds and he eventually releases it against his family: “Walter: Who the hell told you, you had 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 (I.i pg. 38).”

The only thing that Walter truly desires, more than the liquor store, is the reassurance and encouragement that he can only get from those around him. But that never comes, because Ruth ideals always take the

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,