A Raisin In The Sun American Dream Essay

The Dream

The American Dream is a concept that has long been ingrained in American culture. It is the belief that anyone, regardless of their background, can achieve success, prosperity, and upward mobility through hard work, determination, and perseverance. Lorraine Hansberry's play "A Raisin in the Sun" is a powerful exploration of the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of an African American family in the 1950s. In this essay, I will examine how the American Dream is portrayed in the play, through the lens of three key themes: money, family, and race.

One of the central themes of "A Raisin in the Sun" is the pursuit of money as a means to achieve the American Dream. This is seen most clearly through the character of Walter Lee Younger,

Throughout the play, the Younger family is depicted as a close-knit unit that supports one another through difficult times. Mama, in particular, serves as a maternal figure who tries to hold the family together. One quote that demonstrates this is when Mama says, "Child, when do you think is the time to love somebody the most? When they done good and made things easy for everybody? Well then, you ain't through learning—because that ain't the time at all" (Act II, Scene 3). This quote shows Mama's belief that love and support are most important during difficult times, not just when everything is going well. However, the importance of family can also create tension and conflict. This is seen in the relationship between Walter and his sister, Beneatha, who have different ideas about how to achieve the American Dream. Beneatha is a college student who wants to become a doctor and is critical of Walter's desire to invest in the liquor store. In response to Walter's dreams, she says, "Just for the record, I think that some of the most backward and reactionary elements in our community are those who talk about 'guiding' and 'directing' a struggling people, and never themselves have had to struggle" (Act II, Scene 3). This quote reveals Beneatha's frustration with Walter's narrow-minded focus on money and her belief that the pursuit of the American Dream should be about more than just financial