Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

881 Words4 Pages
The American Dream is an accepted ideal through the United States, but progresses to a dream with deception, prejudice, and a fantasy. The American dream is misconstrued by many who believe anyone can achieve this dream, but in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun the true American dream is shown through the constant struggles and failures of the characters. The American dream is not a true dream because of the bias treatment towards racial minorities, women and citizens of the lower classes. In the play, the Younger family’s dreams suffer because the American dream did not apply for their race. As critic Putman writes, “yet it can easily be argued that those who feel slightly promise of the American dream are the most minority groups--…show more content…
Walter, the son of Mama, is a dreamer who believes he can achieve anything by just having money and the right opportunities. Walter uses this crutch towards achieving his dream to own a liquor store. He is very excited to tell someone about the grand idea he and his friends have to get a better life than what they are experiencing now. Walter Lee tells his wife, Ruth, “this liquor store we got mid cost seventy-five thousand… Baby, don’t nothing happen for you in this world ‘less you pay somebody off ” (1.1)! Walter believes this liquor store is the break, he has been looking in favor of taking his family towards prosperity. Dova B. Sova, a critic says, “The characters embody ideals typical of most Americans of the period, yet they remain socially apart. Walter Lee typifies the upward-moving American male who honors ruthless capitalism and castigates African Americans in general for the lack of shrewdness in business” (2). Walter Lee values the completion of his dreams over the damages his pursuit could cause. He sees the opening in his dream, but at the cost of other family members which brings up the downfall of his dream. Walter Lee constantly talks about the unfairness in the American dream and how only certain men reach this dream. Walter can not comply with the amount of opportunity that young Caucasian are experiencing. Walter Lee
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