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A Raisin In The Sun Family Dynamic Essay

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During difficult times, financial problems, and discrimination, family is one thing on which one can always count on. In the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Lorraine tells a story that focuses on the Youngers, an African American family who are struggling after the death of their father, Big Walter. A Raisin in the Sun recounts the life of the Younger family, which includes Mama, her son Walter, her daughter Beneathea, Walter's wife Ruth, and their son Travis. This family of five live in a run-down one-bedroom apartment in Chicago's south side. Following the death of Big Walter, Mama receives a check from her late husband's life insurance. Each member of the family excluding Travis has an idea of what they want to do with the …show more content…

“(WALTER comes to MAMA suddenly and bends down behind her and squeezes her in his arms with all his strength. She is overwhelmed by the suddenness of it and, though delighted, her manner is like that of RUTH and TRAVIS)” (Hansberry). The affection of the family for one another is powerfully conveyed throughout the play. Ruth's relationship with Travis might be understood as a reflection of Mama's relationship with Walter. These two mother-son relationships demonstrate a family dynamic that can be demanding as well as tender at times. “MAMA (Opening her eyes and looking into WALTER’S) No. Travis, you stay right here. And you make him understand what you doing, Walter Lee. You teach him good. Like Willy Harris taught you. You show where our five generations done come to. (WALTER looks from her to the boy, who grins at him innocently) Go ahead, son – (She folds her hands and closes her eyes) Go ahead” (Hansberry). This text illustrates how actions have reactions. Mama wanted Walter to understand the kind of example he is setting for his son. Mama realized that Walter's behavior was gradually impacting Travis and the family, and she wanted to express to him the importance of setting a good example for his family and son. “By allowing Lena to play this central role in the Younger family, Hansberry asserts the importance of …show more content…

By the end of the play, Mama decides to use her late husband's life insurance money to buy a house in a white neighborhood. As a result of this decision, conflict arises between the family and the other characters in the play. “I am afraid you don’t understand. My son said we was going to move and there ain’t nothing left for me to say” (Hansberry). This text was spoken during the scene in which Mr.Linder, the real estate agent, was attempting to persuade the family not to relocate to the new neighborhood. Mr.Linder offered Walter money to encourage the family to reconsider their decision. Although the family knew they would not be welcomed in the new neighborhood, Mama stuck up for Walter and supported his wish to relocate. “There are no mentioned contact between younger family, a black family, and white members of society except for their work and a visit from Mr. Lindner. Mr. Lindner, representative of white community, arrives to the Youngers' apartment to demand them not to move. He only cares about the feeling and comfort of whites without any sympathy for and thought of black people” (Nowrouzi). This quote shows the level of discrimination that African Americans endured in the 1950s. There was rarely any interaction between African Americans and whites. This is one of the reasons Mr.Linder attempted to bribe the family into not moving into the neighborhood.

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In the play the author expresses, “Walter(doubled with laughter)’Mama you look ready to go out and chop you some cotton for sure” (28) while him and the family are all having fun and messing around. The quote proves just how happy Walter truly is with his family and how happy the family makes him. Mama also states in the

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In addition, Mama is the head of the family, even with Walter in the house, everyone listens to Mama. Therefore when their family moves into a white neighborhood and Mr. Linder comes over to discuss an issue. At first, Mr. Lindner that communication is important

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The family is supposed to live on the south side of Chicago because although this is not a law, a lot of African Americans are still staying separate from whites. Mr. Lindner, a representative of the Clybourne Park Improvement Association, makes it very clear further along in the story that blacks don’t belong in white neighborhoods. As the laws are starting to become less limiting segregation is becoming a thing of the past.

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Walter still believes that it is him against his mother and family, where he has to sacrifice everything but Beneatha can sit and bring nothing to the table. Repeatedly, Walter is left alone in the dark while his family enjoys themselves, or so he believes wholeheartedly. When Mama reveals the news about a new house, she explains it is possible to buy a house “[because] it was [Big Walter] who [gave] [Walter] the house - in [Big Walter’s] way” (91). While not supporting and understanding Walter’s ambitions in life, Mama went ahead and fulfilled her dream and Beneatha’s. Another pattern emerges, where Walter is seen as unsatisfied and shaken by the fact that Mama preaches about wanting what is best for her children, and he is compelled to harshly explain his unjust treatment for his sacrifice.

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Walter feels his job is more than unsatisfying, and can not make Mama understand, since her simplistic views are just like Ruths. In spite of his personal inadequacies with his job fulfillment, Walter shines in the end of the story with understanding and growth of his own fathers not so wonderful job. Walter seems to be reflecting on his own status as a

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This shows the family such as Mama and Ruth that they can’t trust Walter with anything now because he lost all of the portion of the money. He is looked down upon for not becoming the “Man” of the house and taking full responsibility when he is supposed to. Another traditional gender role that I see Hansberry challenging is Beneatha in the middle of the book. Beneatha explains how she has started taking guitar lessons Mama and Ruth laugh out loud making fun of her and asking why she wants to play the guitar. All of sudden she gets upset when Mama and Ruth don’t take it seriously “How come you done taken it in your mind to learn to play the guitar?”

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He talks about how his family has pride, and that his sister wants to be a doctor, a job that was known for being hard for a woman to get at the time. He talks about his child, being the sixth in his generation living in America. Walter decides to not sell the house, because his father had “earned it for us brick by brick” (Hansberry 149). This proclaims an obvious change in how Walter acts, and a change in his view on life. Walter previously focused on money being what makes

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(Act 1, Scene 1). Through the quote, it suggests that women should be ignorant about the world, and calling “baby” instead of her name shows the inferiority of the women to men. In addition, Walter is expected to be the head of the family; Mama says, “It ain’t much, but it’s all I got in the world and I’m putting it in your hands. I’m telling you to be the head of this family from now on like you supposed to be” (Act 2, Scene 2).

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When Walter states the family will be moving into the house despite Lindner’s offer supports the importance of fighting against racial discrimination, which ties into the idea of the rejection of assimilation seen with Beneatha’s

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You show where our five generations done come to.” (147). Walter realizes in this moment that the acceptance of the Clybourne Park community’s money to stay out of the neighborhood would highly affect the dignity, hope, and dreams of not only himself, but the rest of his family. From here Walter attempts to explain their family 's pride in being “..very plain people” (147), bringing Travis to his side as he speaks for the whole family rather than only himself. He ultimately states, “.. we have decided to move into our house because my father- my father- he earned it for us brick by brick” (148) implying that they deserve what they 've earned, and a chance to become even more.

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I’ll strap my baby on my back if I have to and scrub all the floors in America and wash all the sheets in America if I have to—but we got to move…. We got to get out of here….” (609). Ruth is begging for Mama not to change her mind on moving saying she will do anything. Her family needs this chance to live a better life.

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The Younger family, is a family who are honest and who also work hard for what they want, just because they are black, does not mean that they don 't deserve to live in a better neighbourhood. However, racism also impacted the Younger family beneficially in the way Walter rejected Linders’s offer at the end of the play. The example of racism gives Walter the opportunity to become the man he always wanter to

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Theme: The Need to Fight Racial Discrimination The character of Mr. Lindner marks the topic of racial prejudice blatant in the narrative as a problem that the Youngers are not able to elude. Mr. Lindner and the individuals he signifies can only look at the colour of the Younger relative’s skin, and his suggestion to persuade the Youngers to stop them from relocating threatens to destroy the Younger household and the principles for which it rests.

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Mama displays her altruism toward other people and their feelings along with her determination and forbearance as another main character in Hansberry’s play. These factors contribute to a beneficial impact on her dream. Mama constantly puts the needs of others before her needs. While trying to apologize to her son for leading him onto the wrong path in life, Mama states, “...I ain’t got nothing, don’t own nothing, ain’t really never wanted nothing that wasn’t for you. There ain’t nothing as precious to me — there ain’t nothing worth holding on to, money, dreams, nothing else — if it means — if it means it’s going to destroy my boy” (Hansberry 93).

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Hansberry portrays the role of fathers within their families through her only male character in the play, Walter Lee Younger. She stresses the fact that the role of fathers is to be a role model for his child. Fathers influence their children significantly especially their sons. Boys will model themselves after their dads since they look at fathers’ behaviors and recognize those behaviors as successful (Gross). As a father, Walter believes that he is not a qualitative role model to his son, Travis Younger.

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