A Raisin In The Sun Dreams Essay

It is often said that dreams become reality when intentions become actions. In the Broadway play A Raisin in The Sun written by Lorraine Hansberry, Mama portrays just how much dreams define one’s character and affect the actions that follow. The play set in the 1950s revolves around Mama and her family: her daughter Beneatha, her son Walter, and her daughter in law Ruth, and the steps they take to achieve their different dreams. Throughout the play, it is apparent that Mama, also known as Lena, is on two different levels on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs pyramid. She consistently exhibits the characteristics of a person on stage 5, while still not feeling protected, for she is African American, thereby violating stage 3. Mama attempts to mend

Mama wants her family to feel safe. It is for this reason that some may argue that Mama is still yearning to complete stage 2 of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Mama is also in this stage because she adheres to what her husband used to say: “Seem like God didn’t see fit to give the black man nothing but dreams- but He did give us children to make them dreams seem worth while” (Hansberry 46). Though some members of her family are acclimated to white culture, Mama sees that they are still viewed down upon. She also realizes that Black people sometimes put themselves down because they think they are worthless, and therefore wants Walter to understand that just because he is Black doesn’t make him any less of a person. She makes him acknowledge this by sharing an anecdote of her history and how even though her ancestors were slaves, they never let anyone tell them that they “[weren’t] fit to walk the earth” (Hansberry 143). This enables Walter to also put his family's needs before his personal needs of obtaining more money. After seeing her family finally come together, Mama has finally successfully completed all 5 levels of the pyramid. Her dream of her family living comfortably has finally been achieved. The Younger family was able to stand up for themselves against a man who was viewing them as a lesser race. Mama is wise beyond her years and only