A Raisin in the Sun

A dream is a wish that someone hopes to fulfill in their lifetime, or in the near future. The American dream is interpreted in multiple ways, and even though this is true, the structure of the American Dream is the same. When talking about the American Dream, most people think of families thriving together and succeeding in what they want to do. The American dream is based on freedom, justice, success, and in socioeconomic terms. In A Raisin in the Sun, the Younger family have different dreams and all of them felt that their dream is more important than their families’ dreams. Most of the members of the Younger family face difficulties in achieving their dream, but only a few will accomplish this. The value and purpose of the Younger family’s individual dreams and values are crucial to them because of the effect it has on them, but their ultimate American dream is happiness for the family.

Big Walter had lots of values for his race and worked very hard for those values to ensure happiness for his family. The American dream was a dim reality because of the harsh working conditions of Chicago blacks in the 1920’s (M’baye 175). This is how mama sees Big Walter, as a courageous man who fought all his life to secure a happy future for his family. As M’baye states, “Big Walter’s life was a constant struggle against a personal sorrow and a hostile economic and social world that discriminated against him” (175). Big Walter has the most dignity for his family and his actual dream is the happiness of his family.

Mama always mentions Big Walter in the story every time Walter or Beneatha does something that she thinks is wrong. Mama says that Big Walter hated domestic jobs and that farming and...

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... sick people—then go be a nurse like other women—or just get married and be quiet” (Hansberry 38).

The value of every dream is crucial to every member of the Younger family because of the effect it has them, but it is the family dream to own a house that hold them together. At the end of the story, Mama convinced Walter that buying the house was important for the family because the thought of living in the apartment for the rest of their lives was unbearable. Big Walter had to fight and was struggling to achieve his dream of buying a house, which ended up becoming the families dream. Walter’s dream interfered with Beneatha’s dream, and the families dream. This had a major impact on everyone’s life, especially after Walter lost the money. In the end, the Younger family was all happy about Walter’s decision. That is the Younger family American dream.