In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry the Younger family was given a chance to make their dreams come true. “The Youngers, a family composed of powerful individuals who are yet in many ways typical in their dreams and frustrations. There is Lena, or Mama, the widowed mother; her daughter Beneatha, a medical student; Beneatha's brother Walter, a struggling chauffeur; and Walter's wife, Ruth, and their young son. Crammed together in an airless apartment, the family dreams of better days”(A Raisin in the Sun). Lena, Ruth, Beneatha, and Walter Lee have meaningful dreams that have the chance of coming true when the ten thousand dollar life insurance payment check on Lena’s husbands life arrives in the mail. Even though Lena, Walter Lee, Beneatha, and Ruth all lived in the same house, they all had extremely different dreams. Each member of the younger family had their own ideas of what the ten thousand dollar life insurance payment was going to change in their lives. The play demonstrates the struggles of turning a dream into a reality and reveals the characters true nature. Lena Younger dreams for maintaining her family with dignity and having her own garden to care for. …show more content…
“The concept of the "self-made man," who starts with nothing, works hard, and achieves great wealth, seems innocuous enough. However, the idea becomes destructive when it evolves into an idolization of wealth and power…. Desperate to achieve success, Walter ignores his mother's moral objection to achieving his goals by running a liquor store. However, the liquor store is merely a means to an end for Walter (Brubaker).” Walter Lee focuses so much on material success because he wants to be able to provide for his family. Walter Lee wanting to be part of the liquor business is part of the idea of the American dream, that there is social mobility and you can build yourself a better