Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

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There is some controversy over who the protagonist is of A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Some people would argue that Mama is the protagonist of the story, and others would say that Walter takes that title. In my opinion, Walter Lee Younger is the main leading character of A Raisin in the Sun. There are many characteristics that could show Mama as the protagonist, but I feel like Walter has more valid attributes. From the start of the story, Mama is a very strong character. She is in most of the scenes throughout the book and always knows how to react in every situation. Mama knows what she wants and what is best for everyone in the Younger household. She always does the right thing and tries to help everyone. Those qualities could make her a great protagonist, but some facets are also missing from what is needed to claim that label.…show more content…
She stays the same from the start of the book to the end. She starts as a very strong-hearted person, and she ends the same way. In view of the fact that Mama is an older character, it’s not surprising that she doesn’t change as much as some of the other characters. She already has a good mindset and has a strong grip on who she is. Mama could be the protagonist of the story, but I feel like she doesn’t grow very much. Walter isn’t the most likeable character of the book. He’s a drunk and he isn’t always there for his family. He is too concerned with his work and the thought of becoming wealthy to genuinely love his family. He starts out very confident with the fact that he’ll earn a lot of money and he presumes that people will suddenly start to look up to him. I think people don’t really like him because of his personality when the story starts. But I believe he is a great protagonist because he changes by the end of the book. He realizes what he needs to do and that family is very
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