The Value of Dreams in A Raisin in the Sun “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”- Harriet Tubman this quote represents what Walter Lee, Beneatha, and Lena all had in common, they all three had a dream that they wished to accomplish more than anything, Walter Lee wanted to pursue his dream of opening up his own Liquor Store, Beneatha dreamed of becoming a doctor, and Lena wanted to make her family’s living conditions better by purchasing them a house to live in. In the play there were many complications for the Youngers, obstacles that kept them from achieving their dreams. …show more content…
Although Mama did not have an idea on what to do with money from the life insurance check, she received a lot of pressure from Walter Lee as to what to do with the money. Walter Lee wanted to get the money to pursue his very own dream of opening up a liquor store, but Mama did not lean towards anyone, then she finally decided to do something with the money, she bought her family a house, Walter Lee was furious about her decision, and demonstrated his fury harshly on her when he says “You run our lives like you want to. It was your money and you did what you wanted with it. So what you need me to say it was all right for”? (Hansberry 95) And the stage direction that follows reads “Bitterly, to hurt her as deeply as he knows is possible” (Hansberry 95)“So you butchered up a dream of mine- you- who always talking ‘bout your children’s dreams…”(Hansberry 95) Mama Lena thought heavily after that, the irony had hit her, all this time she had been trying to support all of her children’s dreams, but could not bring herself to support Walter’s up until she revealed to him that she still had some money left for him to do whatever he wanted. Though Walter’s foolish way of using the money caused him to squander it all, just the fact that Mama had the hope, courage, and trust to be able to give Walter the money shows how much Mama really cared about her children’s
“Mama (To Walter) Son- (She goes to him, bends down to him, talks to his bent head) Son… Is it gone? Son, I gave you sixty-five hundred dollars. Is it gone? All of it? Beneatha’s money too?”(Act 2 Scene 3 Pg. 129). Mama told him that she did not want her late husband’s hard earned money to go into a liquor store. Walter did not listen; therefore, he was held responsible and Mama punished him by beating him( pg.129). She further makes him face the consequences by telling him that he got them into this mess, and as head of the family he needs to get the family out of this situation but not at the cost of the families pride (
Throughout the play, Walters and Beneatha’s views on wealth clash because according to Walter, money is the answer to all of their issues while Beneatha constantly reminds him that the money was mama’s and she could do whatever she wants with it whenever he pressed on about buying the liquor store. In scene two of act two, after mama gives Walter the money, Walter explains to his son Travis in a long speech how he will invest the money and what kind of life they will live once the business is successful, this also included sacrificing Beneatha’s school money. This speech also shows Walters “American Dream”. Unfortunately, Walter trusted the wrong man with his money and ended up losing it all.
The dreams of Walter, Beneatha, and Mama in Lorraine Hansberry’s "A Raisin in the Sun", may take longer than expected, change form, or fade. Even if dreams seem to never get closer, one should never give up. Without something to work towards, society would just dry up, like a grape in the sun.
The chasing of a mirage is a futile quest where an individual chases an imaginary image that he or she wants to capture. The goal of this impossible quest is in sight, but it is unattainable. Even with the knowledge that failure is inevitable, people still dream of catching a mirage. There is a fine line that separates those who are oblivious to this fact, and to those who are aware and accept this knowledge. The people who are oblivious represent those who are ignorant of the fact that their dream will be deferred. This denial is the core of the concept used in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. The perception of the American Dream is one that is highly subjective, but every individual dream ends in its own deferment.
Walter Sr. was Walter and Beneathas father he died and his wife mama received ten thousand dollar for life insurance. Walter wants the whole ten thousand dollars for himself and put it down on the liquor store. But Beneatha wants to go to medical school and be a doctor. Walter thinks that it is selfish of Beneatha that she wants to attend medical school because he then wouldn't get all of the money for the liquor store. Beneatha "that money belongs to Mama, Walter, and its for her to decide how she wants to use it. I don't care if she wants to buy a house or a rocket ship or just nail it up somewhere and look at it. It's hers. Not ours hers." Mamas getting all the money and it is up to her if she wants the money for herself give it to Beneatha for school or give it to Walter for the liquor store. Now that it is getting closer to the date in which the money will arrive. Walter is acting more and more desperate for that money.
When Mama finally got the insurance money, she had told her family she bought a house, not specifying the amount of money she spent and Walter became very upset. When Mama tells Travis first, Walter immediately made a loud noise and turned away from everyone in a fury. Walter expected Mama to give him all of the ten thousand dollars. Mama tells Walter that she wants to know how she really feels and he responds with
Lorraine Hansberry does an excellent job of exploring the ideas of dreams in her play A Raisin in The Sun. Beneatha has a dream of becoming a doctor and Walter has a dream of owning a liquor store. All of these plans for the future are things that today’s people, especially youth, can connect to. Through her writing, Hansberry shows that many dreams get deferred with time and usually leave an impact on the dreamer. One of the biggest dreams that is portrayed in this play is Walter’s dream of owning a liquor store.
Mama is usually seen as an affable and nurturing character, but when she discovers Walter’s use of the money her husband works so hard for her patience towards him snaps, “(... Mama stops and looks at her son without recognition and then, quite without thinking about it, starts to beat him senselessly in the face.)” (Hansberry 129). Most would be appalled to see a mother beat her own son; however, her anger had taken her conscience at this point. One will also see an interaction between Walter and his sister Beneatha as she says to Mama: “That is not a man. That is nothing but a toothless rat.” (Hansberry 144) The siblings have mild scuttles before he gives away the money, but nothing quite at the audacity of this specific
In ‘A Raisin in the Sun’, Lorraine Hansberry describes each of the family’s dreams and how they are deferred. In the beginning of the play Lorraine Hansberry chose Langston Hughes’s poem to try describe what the play is about and how, in life, dreams can sometimes be deferred.
The conflict that involves Walter and Mama superficially concerns Mama's receiving an insurance check for ten thousand dollars, which she hasn't yet decided what to do with. Walter has hopes for using the money to invest in a liquor store, with the profits providing him and his family a better quality of life than what they have endured in the past. What really is at stake here, though, is more than money. Mama and Walter have different visions of what happiness is and what life is all about. For Mama, the best thing to do with the money is to make a down payment on a house. This house is to be situated within an all-white neighborhood, and represents assimilation. This is Mama's dream, and the dream ...
The Younger family demonstrates that even with conflict there is still plenty of room to love and support each other. On the other hand, “A Streetcar named Desire can thus be read as an experiment probing how far one can go following one’s desire, something radically different from sex or love. If one goes the whole way, as Blanche eventually does, one destroys oneself” (Thomieres 390). While the Younger’s are stressing over what Lena is going to do with the money, Beneatha is faced with gender role conflict from George, which results in their break up. The Younger family faces conflict when desire pops its head up in the ten thousand dollar check. As for Stanley, Stella and Blanche, their desires in sexual matters causes Stella and Blanche’s relationship to quiver. These two plays show similar conflicts but end in an entirely different manner. There is nothing in the world that can restrain the Youngers from giving up on their American dream while Stella results in thinking Blanche is dishonest about Stanley and needs to be taking into a mental hospital. In the end, each family will do what is needed in order to save their relationships no matter the
At the beginning of the play, Walter is a self centered character. In a conversation with Mama, Walter wants to make sure she does not spend all the money. Walter states, “Where were you, mama? Mama, You didn’t go do something with that insurance money, something crazy” (P. 90). It is revealed that Walter is desperate for money and achieving his big idea of owning a liquor store. It’s important to know that this money is Mama’s and not Walters to spend. Instead of being the man of the house
Mama talks to Walter about her fears of the family falling apart. This is the reason she bought the house and she wants him to understand. Walter doesn't understand and gets angry. "What you need me to say you done right for? You the head of this family. You run our lives like you want to. It was your money and you did what you wanted with it. So what you need for me to say it was all right for? So you butchered up a dream of mine - you - who always talking 'bout your children's dreams..." Walter is so obsessive over money that he yells at his mom for not giving him all of it. He doesn't know that what his mom is doing is for the family. He thinks that having money will make the family happy, when in reality the family doesn't need anymore than what they have to be happy.
Lauren Oliver once said, “I guess that’s just part of loving people: You have to give things up. Sometimes you even have to give them up” (Good Reads). This quote connects very well to the play, A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry. The quote conveys the message that if one loves someone, one must give things up. A Raisin in the Sun is about an African-American family living in the south side of Chicago in the 1950s. The Younger family is a lower-class family that has been struggling to make their dreams come true. One of the character’s in the play named Walter Lee has been struggling to make his dreams come true. Walter’s changes that are shown tie to the quote written by Lauren Oliver. The changes that are seen in Walter Lee throughout the book, A Raisin in the Sun, reflects the theme that one must sacrifice something for the love and happiness of one’s family.
Mama is a powerful, strong witted person. She has a lot of control in this play and dominates as a woman character. This is unusual because this is usually a male’s position in life. She is a woman, “who has adjusted to many things in life and overcome many more, her face is full of strength”. In this play she is illustrated as taking over for the head of the family and controls the lives of everyone in her house. Rules are followed to Mama’s extent. She controls what is said and done in her house. After Walter yells, “WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE LISTEN TO ME TODAY!” (70). Mama responds in a strong tone of voice saying, “I don’t ‘low no yellin’ in this house, Walter Lee, a...