In Lorraine Hansberry's play "A Raisin in the Sun," the characters' dreams serve as a central theme and driving force for their actions. Each character has their own unique dream, and these dreams shape their relationships and conflicts with each other throughout the play.
The character of Walter Lee Younger embodies the struggle to achieve the American Dream of financial success and upward mobility. As the breadwinner of his family, Walter feels pressure to provide for them and give them the life he believes they deserve. However, his lack of opportunities and financial limitations stand in the way of his dream. He becomes obsessed with the idea of using the insurance money from his father's death to invest in a liquor store, convinced that this will be his ticket to success. Walter's dream consumes him and causes him to make selfish and reckless decisions, including borrowing money from a questionable source.
On the other hand, Walter's mother, Lena Younger, has a different dream centered on security and stability. She wants to use the insurance money to buy a house in a better neighborhood for her family, hoping to provide them with a safe and comfortable place to live. Lena's dream is motivated by her desire to protect her family and ensure their well-being. She is hesitant to take risks and would rather play it safe, even if it means sacrificing her own desires.
Lena's daughter, Beneatha Younger, also has a dream of her own. As a young woman with aspirations of becoming a doctor, Beneatha wants to forge her own path and break free from traditional gender roles. She is determined to get an education and make a name for herself, despite the challenges and prejudices she faces as a black woman. Beneatha's dream of self-determination and self-fulfillment is at odds with Walter's traditional views on gender and family roles, causing tension between the two.
Finally, Ruth Younger, Walter's wife, has a dream of love and happiness. She is tired of the struggles and hardships of her life and wants a change. Ruth's dream is closely tied to her relationship with Walter and the future of their family. She wants to support and stand by her husband, but also wants to make sure that their family is happy and healthy.
In "A Raisin in the Sun," the characters' dreams serve as a representation of their hopes and desires for their lives. Each dream is unique and reflects the individual character's values and aspirations. However, these dreams also bring conflict and tension as the characters struggle to balance their own desires with the needs and expectations of those around them.
Dreams Theme in A Raisin in the Sun
The American Dream, the ideal lifestyle every American strives to live during their lifetime. Joseph Asagai A Nigerian student in love with Beneatha. Beneatha would like to invest in her future by attending medical school. Man say to his woman: I got me a dream. Set in 1950s Chicago, Illinois, this play shows the importance of having the right to pursue our dreams, rely on our families for support, and overcome societal and racial injustices, even when confronted by others who do not believe we should have these rights. Despite these strains, Ruth goes to any and all lengths to save their marriage, from trying to persuade Lena to allow Walter to invest in the liquor store to considering aborting their unborn child to save their family from additional financial and emotional burdens. But not everyone will achieve their dreams and some, because of sad circumstances lose their grip on their dream and fall into a state of disappointment.
A Raisin In The Sun: What Happens To A Dream Deferred: [Essay Example], 1866 words GradesFixer
Moreover, Hansberry creates male characters who demonstrate oppressive attitudes towards women yet enhance the feminist ideology in the play. In some cases, their dream is so powerful that it is about to explode and in other cases, they let their dream lay dormant, but every member of the family does have a Walter has always wanted to be rich, not only to be rich but to be successful and to have the respect of a successful man. This paper will study the important characters in the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry in the context of the substance of the dreams that they have. In the end, Mama entrusts some money to Walter and decides to buy a house in a white neighborhood to better accommodate their family because Walter's son had been sleeping on the living room couch. The play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry leads by foreshadowing its theme of crushed dreams by starting with the poem A Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes. The want for the American dream such a social norm, that the efforts of obtaining it are so naturalistic, but not everyone knows what the American Dream actually is.
A Raisin In The Sun Mama's Dream
In Act 1 Scene 1, the audience learns that Beneatha, a colored woman, wants to become a doctor and attends medical school. Walter is a main character in A Raisin in the Sun, who lives with his wife, Ruth, sister, Beneatha, and son, Travis, in a small apartment in Chicago. The dream matters to Walter Lee for several reasons: he believes his current job as a chauffeur is "nothing at all"; he hears about big deals supposedly being made by other men, black and white; he wants to be able to provide well for his family; and he wants to be a strong father figure for his son. Walter's dream of owning a liquor store stems from the fact that he is dissatisfied with his life. In the play, A raisin in the sun that takes place in 1959, a society where the black working-class family always struggles to deal with the oppressive circumstances that dictate their lives. He embraces his history and having pride in the south.
Dreams: a Raisin in the Sun and Younger Family
Beneatha talks to a transfer student from Africa, Asagai, about Africa and going back to find her roots. Each family member has their own dream and are molded into a lifestyle of only focusing on accomplishing their dreams, themselves. Mama wants to buy a house in a nicer neighborhood with the money which was the dream her husband and her shared. The author of this play, Lorraine Hansberry, wrote this play in spirit of when she grew up on the South Side of Chicago and had the experiences of segregation. Walter's wife, Ruth, is the recipient of the majority of Walter's anger and sexist remarks.
