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Theme Of Dreams In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

1159 Words5 Pages

Dreams are one of the most important concepts of the play. In A Raisin in the Sun, all 5 characters, Ruth, Walter, Mama, Travis, and Benethea have individual dreams which they crave to achieve. Ruth desires to make her family happy, Walter dreams of getting out of the poor social class, Beneatha wants to become a doctor, and Mama dreams of a house with a garden. The characters struggle obtaining these dreams due to financial circumstances. The author, Lorraine Hansberry describes their dreams as “dried up” like a raisin in the sun. It’s difficult for them to obtain their dreams when money is holding them back. All of their dreams are expensive and there is only $10,000 to share between 3 people. Although they are challenged, they all learn a lot along the way during their dream journey. …show more content…

I don’t know what it is – but he needs something – something I can’t give him anymore. He needs this chance, Lena.” Page 45 Ruth knows that Walter isn’t satisfied with his life. Ruth feels as if she can’t give what he really wants to him. Being his partner, she feels obligated to support him and give him everything. Seeing a loved one reach for a dream and not be able to get it hurts her. She just wants her family to be happy and provide for them. Being a mother and not giving her family everything there is makes her sick resulting in her passing out. “Do you know what this money means to me? Do you know what this money can do for us? I want so many things that they are driving me kind of crazy…Mama – look at me.” Page 75. Money is mentally consuming Walter’s mind. He has so many hopes and dreams for his family and being the man of the household, not being able to provide for his family results in him lashing out. He craves the idea of owning a liquor store, he wants a house, he wants to be able to give his family a better life, he wants to buy his wife pearls, he desires to give his family everything that white people

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He wants to be a businessman and own a liquor store. He wants to be able to provide for his family and give them what they have never had. Walter also wants to take his mother’s position as the head of the house and make the financial decisions for the family. Walter can be seen as selfish as instead of putting the money for him and his sister in the bank he uses it all and loses it trying to fulfill his own dreams with no regard to his sister’s dreams or the rest of the family’s.

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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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Being the man of the household, Walter dreams of owning a liquor store and plans on using Lena’s money to do so. Walter is always after money and believes that the only way to succeed in life is with money. For example, when Walter is talking about the check, he says, “Mama, sometimes when I’m downtown and I pass them cool, quiet-looking restaurants where them white boys are sitting back and talking about things, turning deals worth millions of dollars, sometimes I see guys don’t look much older than me” (992).This shows how Walter wanted something more out of life and not just be a poor black man. Everyone in this family had dreams but no one supported each other dreams.

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