A Raisin In The Sun “I don’t want nothing but for you to stop acting holy ‘round here. Me and Ruth done made some sacrifices for you...why can’t you do something for the family?” This quote comes from one of the main characters in the book “Raisin In The Sun”. Walter accuses Beneatha, sister of Walter, of not making enough sacrifices for their family. At the same time, Walter resents Beneatha for the sacrifices he has made. This family is trying to achieve the “American Dream” but is limited by many factors. The biggest reasons why they have difficulty would be race and culture. Lorraine Hansberry, the author, expressed how passionate and committed the characters are to their lives and also, how the Younger family tries to do the best for the family. …show more content…
Due to them having African heritage, they are viewed down upon by white communities in Chicago, during the 1950s. If I was living in their time period, being Latino would also be lacking respect and rights. Latinos lacked influence in the national political arena. Same goes towards to Black people but, worse. In like manner, the background is also connected to culture. Beneatha would try to express Nigerian culture despite the fact, her family didn’t wish to see her doing such activity. furthermore, she would have been shown racist expressions towards her due to strong racism white communities emit. Racism against blacks in the 1950's led to Jim Crow being made. Jim Crow was an executed social system devised by the ruling class. At times of economic crisis, the ruling class often use racism to divide working people. Due to this, Walter, the leading family member, and father, was limited of jobs. He worked as a driver nevertheless, he had a dream to open a liquor store as well as, provide better for his family. He worked hard to obtain the “American Dream” however, his race is the first thing people saw at this
For Walter, society is suppressing his dreams from becoming a reality and causing him to live a life he doesn’t want. This is exhibited through Hansberry’s use of the phrase “rich white people”. It shows how the predominately white society of the 1950’s did not allow people like Walter, who were of a different race, the opportunity to have the same luxuries and success that they have. This causes Walter to believe that he will forever be stuck in a bad job and a small apartment where his son has to sleep in the living room, which means he will forever
They do not want to sacrifice their own dreams to please the others. Unwilling to make a sacrifice proves to bring more animosity in a family as shown in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry through conflict involving money and how the characters handle their actions. Walter’s dream is to use the money to open up his own business even if it goes against his family’s wishes. Walter argues, “.... he’s
In Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, she discusses many types of dreams and familial situations. The drama shows how life was in 1950s Chicago for a lower-income, African-American family: the Youngers. Composed of Walter, his wife, son, mother and sister, the Younger family faces many trials as they try to move up in status, figure out what to do with the ten thousand dollar life insurance check, and attempt to achieve their dreams. In the story, Walter plays both the protagonist and antagonist, in a very antihero sort of way, aiming to help the family, but ultimately losing some respect from his family, along with most of their money. Throughout A Raisin in the Sun, Walter Younger grows from a money-obsessed man into a more caring
In the book “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hanberry, the two characters that influence the plot the most are Walter and Beneatha. Walter Younger is tied up with too much, there is a very big check to come in the mail that the whole family is more than excited for, but the thing about the check is that every member in the family has their own opinion of what they think should be down with the check and its stressing everybody out, especially Walter. Although the check is Mamas, everybody wants the check for themselves and some of them believe that the check is all Mamas and that she should decide what should be done with her check. One of the main conflicts of this story must do with Walter because he is becoming out of control with this check. The thing that Walter does to try and make himself feel better is that he goes out and drinks because of his stress and he also doesn’t know what to do ever since Ruth told him about the baby and what she’s planning on doing
The interpretation gained from reading “A Raisin in the Sun” came accross with a few points, Ruth and Walter fight a great deal within the story. Ruth and Walter’s living environment is both positive and negative. It would be interesting to find out what's makes Walter tick, as well as why Ruth feels like she needs to put up barriers. Also explore how Walter and Ruth slowly come back together as a couple to find peace in their lives which directly affects the baby living or dying. The understanding received was Walter wants to be better within his socioeconomic status.
In A Raisin in the Sun, Walter and Ruth have a personality that correlates to the traditional gender expectation. Walter has an abrupt nature, while Ruth is demure and quiet; the temperament of the two characters corresponds to a man expectation to be dominant and superior to women. Walter comments, “Don’t call it that. See there, that just goes to show you what women understand about the world. Baby, don’t nothing happen for you in this world ’less you pay somebody off!”
It shows this because Walter diminishes his sisters Beneatha’s dream of becoming a doctor by making a misogynist comment in which insinuates on her settling on being a nurse due to a doctor clearly being an often male dominant profession. Furthermore, Walter is deluded by greed on opening a liquor store which causes him to have no regard for the feelings or desires of others. Clearly, the central idea of the text is that in trying to achieve a dream it can bring out a person selfish tendency because people tend to disparage others dreams in order to attain theirs. The author 's use of conflict is important to the developing the central idea that oneself can become selfish when trying to obtain the American dream because it creates tension.
At the end of the play Beneatha is considering marrying Asagai and moving with him to Nigeria to practice medicine. Asagai’s dream is that Beneatha will become an African woman. He wants her to wear her hair natural and listen to African music. Asagai also wants her to marry him and move back with him to Africa.
She puts a lot of effort and time in trying to get an education for herself and learn how to be her own person. Beneatha does not want to be with George because she feels that she will not be able to fulfill her dream of being a doctor. For example, “But if the Younger’s are sitting around waiting to see if their little Bennie is going to tie up the family with the Murchisons, they are wasting their time” (Hansberry31).Beneatha wants to be a hardworking woman and this connects to the American Dream because hard work is a big component of achieving what you want. Also, she does not want George Murchison stopping her from being a hard-working woman. She does everything by herself and puts her hard work into everything she does.
This character trait is seen when Asagai mentions how he met Beneatha. She tells him she wants to know more about Africa because she is looking for her identity (62). Beneatha’s effort to make herself different from her family shows her personal identity. She has different views from her family. For example, she does not accept the existence of God (51).
A Raisin in the Sun is a play, which consists of three acts for a total of six scenes. From the very beginning, the plot line begins with the Younger family waking up, going about their morning as they normally do. The family living in the small apartment consists of Mama, Beneatha, her daughter, Walter, her son, Ruth, Walter’s wife, and Travis, Walter and Ruth’s son. The apartment that accommodates this family consists of a small kitchen, containing one small window, a living room, which also serves as Travis’ room, and two bedrooms, one for Walter and Ruth, the other shared by Mama and Beneatha. In the kitchen window lays a potted plant, second to only family in Mama’s most prized possessions.
Family is important to everyone in some way because family sticks together no matter what. The play A Raisin in the Sun is about a black family named the Youngers and the hardships they face together as a family. In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Ruth Younger is motivated by her family. This is shown by Ruth wanting to make her family happy, her working even though she is tired, and later when Ruth finds out there is going to be another mouth to feed. Ruth Younger is constantly worrying about her family’s well being and happiness for them.
She defies the ideal life for a woman and expresses her opinion loud and clear. Beneatha throughout the play finds herself and her African American roots. Walter does not approve of Beneatha’s hopes to become a doctor he tells her, “If you so crazy ‘bout messing ‘round with sick people---then go be a nurse like other women---or just get married and be quiet. . .” (1.1.125) These social issues that the characters faced in their lives made them out to be the people that they were meant to be.
Walter has a dream to own a liquor store so that he makes money from that business and is then is able to financially provide things for his family like he believes a man should, but him being blacks affects his dream. (add more words b4)Walter brings
A Raisin in the Sun "Education has spoiled many a good plow hand" (Hansberry 103). This quote is significant because it is applying that education is better than being a hard-worker. A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry, is taken place in South Side, Chicago between World War II and the present. The main focus of this play is about a poor African-American family who has a chance to escape this lifestyle with a ten-thousand-dollar life insurance check, but is not desired to live in a "white" neighborhood.