A Raisin in the Sun Walters Dream

’A Raisin in the Sun’’ by Lorraine Hansberry. Portrays an African American family living on the South Side of Chicago in the 1950’s. In the story, the family goes through many ups and downs, especially when it comes to money. Walter Lee is the man of the house now and is determined to provide a better life for himself and his family. There is a one hundred thousand dollars check coming from the insurance company for the loss of Walter’s dad.

Walter would rather use the money to invest in a liquor store with his friends that he barley knows. He believes that the investment will solve the family financial problems. Five people and a baby on the way lives in a small one-bedroom apartment share a single bathroom.

Walter works for a rich white man as a chauffeur. This easily makes him angry on the inside because he sees every day what it is like to be rich. You can tell this because he tells he’s Mom that he sees ‘’ The rich white men sitting down in a restaurant every day and he knows they are talking about business or something about closing a million-dollar deal (Walter).’’ He is unhappy with his job as a chauffeur, and he wants finer thing in life like, pearls for his wife a much bigger house for he’s family. ‘Walter speaks the words and takes the action, but Mama provides the context. She, who embodies the race’s will to transcend and who forms that critical link between the past and the future, articulates and transmits the traditions of the race to the next generation’.

Walter fantasy of wealth and power that creates a deep dark hunger within himself for change, but as long as difficulty like racism keep him making a difference, he’s hopes and dream. Mama, who is immersed in history and has the perspective gained from her time in the South, where the conditions crushed countless men and women, understands that Walter is the product of his environment, not simply the broken and reduced figure that stands before them. She understands that the proper response is to mourn his condition rather than attack his humanity.

All in all, Mama and Walters dreams both involve money. Mama shows us her longing for the acceptance of society when she immediately buys a house in a white neighborhood, to provide for her family. Walter shows us his desperation to be a valuable human being when he steals money in hopes of starting his liquor business. Walter wants to be respected and live a happy lifestyle for this family. Walter sees himself with a liquor store as having power. It isn’t till the end until he rethinks the values of himself and his family’s future about how there is more to living than just having material Walter often thinking of this dream in terms of his family he wants to give them what he has never had or even dream of. His dream has been postponed by his inability to find better job.

His understanding of his dream of gaining wealth unfolds. ‘’The problem with an inability to connect to the past is illustrated as Mama and Beneatha once again confront one another after Walter spends Beneatha’s money and strips her of the funds for her latest pursuit: becoming a doctor. In this scene, we see her turn on her brother with unbridled ferocity’’ (573). His position in life can be regard as symbolic of every black male struggle to provide for his family by any means necessary.

Walter and Beneatha the confidence needed to continue that legacy of resistance, which will remain important as they move into an unwelcoming, white neighborhood. The reclamation of their Southern history allows both Walter and Beneatha to move past the perceived shame they had projected upon their current and historical conditions. Although the family’s financial position has a strain on it, Walter doesn’t want his son to see him struggle. Walter displays a selfless characteristic which becomes overshadowed by unwise decisions.

Walter acts out of pride by giving Travis his son he’s last pocket change. This symbolizes Walter’s willingness to be a moral father. Walter would not display his selfish intentions. This behavior can be attributed to working in a degrading, Walter can be related to the furniture in the small apartment, ‘tired and broken in spirit’. Every black male’s plight in America can be regarded as a provider for his family.

However, society does not afford black males the benefit of feeling secure about providing for their families. It can be easy for anyone to criticize society and place the blame on America for not affording Walter the opportunities of his white counterparts. Walter does not have control over his own responsibilities. Therefore, if he was given all the resources needed to provide his family his poor judgement and lack of business sense would create further stress on the family.

Walter has big ideals, but his methods of achieving his goals and ideals are somewhat irrational. Walter can be regarded as more concerned with becoming self-employed without really thinking about the consequences, which may be imposed on his family. Walter learns that he needs to set his dreams aside for the sake of the family. Also, he learns that pride in himself and his family can be regarded as inseparable and that anything that harms one harms the other.

Walter is a man who was confused in the beginning and dreams to some extent that money is everything and has all power in the world. Walter is making it clear that he is embracing his history and using it as a source of pride and strength, in much the same way that Mama uses it throughout the play. ‘’Like Mama, he is not condoning the position the South would see him in; rather, he is reclaiming a position of pride in the South that recognizes the achievement of his people (10). If Walter was given all the resources needed to provide for his family his poor judgment and lack books and street smarts would create further trouble to come on is family. 

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