Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

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A Raisin in the Sun One of the central themes of the play in the early stages is that of dreams for the future. The Younger family faces a dilemma in the first act of what to do with a ten-thousand dollar check being given to Mama. The members of the family have different ideas of what is the best way to use the money. Walter believes that the money should be invested in a liquor store (9). Walter desires a better lifestyle for his family; however, his primary motive is money (37). Mama has a dream of family unity (15). She fears that the money is having a negative impact on the family. When the check arrives she tells the family she is considering giving all of the money to the church instead of spending it. Ruth is caught in the middle of…show more content…
The characters age is given, a quick summary of their appearance, and some details about their background. This can be seen with the introductions of Ruth (3), Beneatha (10), and Mama (13). The main character development is seen through arguments, usually about dreams. A large portion of the first act is arguments between members of the family. For example, Beneatha reveals that she is an atheist while in a heated argument with Mama about her dream of becoming a doctor (21-22). Mama displays great affection for both of her children almost immediately after entering on stage (14). Nonetheless she displays anger towards both Walter and Beneatha. She strikes Beneatha for her claim that she is an atheist (22) and she calls out Walter for not being a real man (37-39). From the time that characters came on stage to the end of the first act my impression of them had changed. For example when Asagi is introduced (27) he makes the impression that he is respectful. After a short conversation with Beneatha he insults her for taking herself too seriously (29) and for wanting too much for a woman (30). Because the reader's opinion of the character is constantly changing, it keeps the story fresh and interesting. Additionally, new characters bring new conflicts into the story, giving it more
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