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A Raisin In The Sun Oppression Essay

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Oppression: prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control. The oppression that the main characters face in Hansberry’s “A Raisin in The Sun”, has their combined and individual dreams deferred or prevented, corresponding to Langston Hughes’ “Harlem (A Dream Deferred)”. The Younger family in “A Raisin in The Sun” must withstand multiple forms of oppression, social and economic. Socially, they are subjected to systematic racism and racial stereotypes that leads to them being nearly forced to give up a dream. Economically, they are only eligible for low wage jobs, specifically Walter Younger Jr. and his behavior throughout the play only shows the effect of economic oppression. This oppression they face leaves many questions especially when each …show more content…

Walter Younger Jr. is an example of economic oppression and the effects of said oppression, Walter being ineligible for higher wage jobs, his demeanor, and actions with his father’s life insurance money are examples of economic oppression. In act one, scene one of “A Raisin in The Sun”, Walter brings up his idea and wants to use his father’s life insurance check to invest, fully knowing that money is not his, in his idea is to invest in a liquor store with two other men who believe it is a good idea. Throughout the story, his idea of opening a liquor store is constantly shut down and considered a bad idea, mainly because of the people involved. In the play, Walter’s mother, Mama, gives him the rest of his father’s life insurance after buying a house for them, he was told to put some money aside for Beneatha’s schooling. He was given and trusted with this money, instead of being responsible with the money, he uses all of it to invest in an untrusted business deal. In said business deal, he loses all of the money, his reaction to the major loss shows the effect and is an example of economic oppression. In Act II, scene three, Bobo, one of the men the investment was made with, comes to their apartment to tell Walter Willy, the other man the investment was made with, left with all their money. Walter becomes hysterical, he starts to sob and screams Willy’s name, he also says “THAT MONEY WAS MADE OUT OF MY FATHER’S FLESH” (Act II, Scene three:212). After finding out Willy left, Mama asks if all the money is gone and Walter admits he never went to the bank or put any money to the side. What he did and how he reacted are examples of economic oppression because Walter never had that amount of money in his possession and he’s desperate to make more money so he, instead of putting it in the bank and putting money aside for school, made a sketchy deal. He

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