A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

656 Words2 Pages

We all have dreams as individuals, but what is the American dream? When I think about the American dream the image of a family comes to my mind. But is the picture perfect family in front their home really the American dream? It most certainty is not. My family is far from perfect; the Youngers are also far from perfect. A family of six in a two-bedroom apartment as Ruth puts it is “Hell”. Living in a four-bedroom house with six people can get a little cramped, I cannot imagine living in a two-bedroom apartment.
The American dream is to own their own house. As simple as it may sound it’s not the easiest thing to get. It takes time and hard work. However, it’s also not the only American dream. Just like there are four generations of Younger there are four stages to the American dream.
Lets start with the youngest version and the most simple, Travis. As kids we’re pretty easy to please. Just give us a yard to run around in and were set. Its not until we get older that we begin to discover who we are, and what we want to do with our lives. I personally relate most to Beneatha. She wants to go to school to be a doctor and trying new things in order to express her self. We may not have the same dream but we are in the same stage of our American dream. Which is to go to school to better ourselves and discover our identity.
It is when we began to settle down, get married and have children that the stage of owning our own home comes into play. Walter and Ruth are in this stage of their life. Ruth wants a space for her family to grow and be happy in. I’m not saying Walter doesn’t want this for his family, he’s just is a bit caught up in how he thinks he can achieve this dream. Walter like some American goes about achieving his dreams in ...

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...r had the money to put a down payment on the house. Perhaps if they work hard enough and all pitched in it could be possible. If you truly want something I think anything is worth going after.
Our idea of success is owning your own home. This is the American dream because it is a place for your family to grow a place of privacy. Your house can say a lot about you and who you are. But it is also very materialistic. I don’t think it is the house itself that is the American dream but the family inside the home.
That picture perfect family we talked about earlier. Although no one is perfect, it dose not mean you cant have the happy family. A Raisin in the Sun may revolve around the theme of the American dream I believe that while there is a materialistic America dream there is also one that is a state of mind. A happy family is possible defiantly and worth achieving.

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