Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

877 Words4 Pages
The American Dream is a person’s idea of liberty, equality and opportunity thought to be available to every American for a better life. A Raisin in the Sun is a play written in the 1950’s, which centers on the American Dream. In the play A Raisin in the Sun, the author uses Walter Younger to show how poverty can change people from turning against those they love the most to finally becoming a man worthy of respect. Walter Lee Younger is a character who is enthusiastic, ambitious and overflowing with energy about his American Dream, but he is also unbelievably irresponsible and immature. Walter is an anxious man, bound by poverty who is obsessed with a business idea, which he thinks will solve his financial problems. MAMA. Oh So now it’s life.…show more content…
This leads Walter into a depression where he goes on a three day drinking splurge and refuses to go to work. Eventually, Lena gave Walter a big chunk of the money to invest in a suitable business. Though, she also depends on her son to put some of the money in a bank account for Beneatha’s medical school. However, Walter just hands all of the money to Willy Harris for the liquor store. Previously, Mr. Lindner, a white man from the new community, tried to pay the Youngers not to move into their new house. When Walter felt like he was above everybody, he boastfully kicked out Mr. Lindner and told him they do not need his money. Everyone’s uncertainty about the liquor store deal is proven right when Willy takes off with all the money. Walter is now a hopeless man and he tells the family how he is willing to bow down for money. Walter is prepared to completely humiliate himself. Lena forces Walter to talk to Mr. Linder in front of Travis, Walter's young son, in the end, Walter refuses to take the money from Mr. Lindner and says “…we have decided to move into our house because my father – my father – he earned it for us brick by brick. We don’t want to make no trouble for nobody or fight no causes, and we will try to be good neighbors. And that’s all we got to say about that. We don’t want your money” (131). Ultimately, Walter finds his dignity and leads his family to their new
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