ipl-logo

Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

829 Words4 Pages

In this Play “A Raisin in the Sun” shows how an African-American family live in poverty in the year 1959. The story mainly involves Walter lee, the father, Lena younger, the mother or as said in the story “Mama” and the little sister Beneatha younger who get through hard times throughout the play. The financial issues that the family went through made it very hard to be able to afford anything, making it a burden on every character’s shoulder’s. Although in troubled times, they all stood together to sustain the household knowing that everything would be fine as long as they stood together. In the play, “A Raisin in the Sun,” by Lorraine Hansberry discusses how Walter’s desire to buy a liquor store affect Mama, Beneatha, and Ruth as his greed makes him lose control, his drinking his drinking becomes an issue, and poverty makes him lose all hope. …show more content…

Hansberry states his issue by quoting, Mama. Son— how come you talk so much bout money? Walter. (with immense passion). Because it is life Mama! (I.II.849). Living in poverty for so long made Walter Lee Younger lose his mind to try and financially aid his family. Walter Lee Younger’s obsession get to his head with trying to imagine how things would be if they were not so poor. An Article mentions how hope can help the family stating, “After his mother gives him part of the insurance money for his investment, he is filled with the sense that he now has the power to transform their lives.” (“A Raisin in the Sun”). the moment that Walter receives part of the insurance money makes him realize that it is not too late to turn things around. Walter Lee knows that he has been given the opportunity to right all the wrongs by investing in the liquor store. The chance for the Younger family to finally come out of poverty was at their

Show More
Related
1539 Words | 7 Pages

Following the death of his father, Walter Lee is now the man of the house, not only to his wife and son, but also to his mother and sister, as they live in a multi-generational home. Faced with an internal conflict between choosing to chase his dreams of owning a liquor store or to move his family into a larger home, Walter Lee faces challenges in his family relationships. Ultimately, Walter Lee betrays his family and spends their money on his dreams, which in turn leaves the family with no inheritance, as the person he invested with runs off with the money. Rightfully so, the family is hurt and feel a sense of

Read More
946 Words | 4 Pages

Walter younger, an ambitious man who comes across as self centered because of his dream to find success for him and his family, goes to great lengths and makes sacrifices to try and make money. It may seem like Walter wants everything for himself, but deep down, he means no harm besides making money and wanting to prosper and live comfortably. Walter Younger and his family, wife Ruth, son Travis, Mama, and sister Beneatha, live in Chicago. All five of them live in a small apartment not fit for the size of their family.

Read More
242 Words | 1 Pages

Walter Lee Younger is offered money from Mr. Linder to buy out the claim on his house. Walter refuses because he thought that his family still had money left in their bank from his father’s recent death. Soon he finds out that two-thirds of their money

Read More
465 Words | 2 Pages

However, since the family has no money, Walter sets up a meeting with the man from the neighborhood and plans to accept this money. He tells his mom his plan that he has already put into motion and he talks about how he is “‘Gonna put on a show for the man. the man came here today and he told [them] that [the] people out there where [he wants them] to move - well [they’re] so upset they are willing to pay [them] not to move’” (Hansberry

Read More
747 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout life, there are high and low moments, but no matter how difficult times get, a family is supposed to stick together. In the play A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry, the Younger family goes through a roller coaster of emotions. Within the play, the Youngers come to face many different problems. However, in the play, the main issues occur between Lena Younger (Mama) and Walter Younger (Son of Mama). There always seems to be one main issue, how to spend Walter Lee Senior’s life insurance money.

Read More
476 Words | 2 Pages

Walter Lee in “A Raisin in the Sun,” was one of the main characters in the play, with his role as the father of the Younger family. He’s 35 years old and wants something better than what he has now. He’s a heavy drinker, which causes many problems throughout the play. The further into the play we go, the more change we see happen and develop as a character. He was simply a man trying to have a better future and life.

Read More
1427 Words | 6 Pages

After constantly being beaten down by a world that does not want him and a system that wishes to see him fail, Walter becomes increasingly frustrated and dissatisfied with his life and the possibilities that are all but out of his reach. His unfortunate situation warps any positive outlook that he may have once had into a saddening, dismal case. Even when asked why his perspective of life had deteriorated so much, and why he only ever talks about money, he simply responds that life “was always about money” and that they “just didn’t know it yet” (Hansberry, Act i, Scene ii, 74). The moment that Walter realizes that he does not have to reach

Read More
1500 Words | 6 Pages

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?”

Read More
1504 Words | 7 Pages

Mama says to Walter, “Boy—get out of my face and do some work.” Then she says (eyeing the box, which is obviously a gift), “What is that?” (Hansberry 122). Mama knows that if Walter keeps acting lethargic, he could potentially use up all the extra money. Walter is blind to see how money is limited.

Read More
866 Words | 4 Pages

Both characters try to reach their dreams by moving their families and responsibility aside. For example, Walter Lee dreams of opening a liquor store, so to reach his dreams he took his family is money trying to act like a man but then that money was stolen by his friend Willy

Read More
1097 Words | 5 Pages

Hansberry shows how much African-Americans internalize white supremacy through Mrs.Johnson. Mrs.Johnson, a black woman, is the Youngers nosy next-door neighbor. When she hears about the family moving to Clybourne Park, she tells them to stay put. Though she masks her true feelings poorly, Mrs.Johnson pretends like the move is a good idea, saying “You hear some of these Negroes round here talking ‘bout how they don’t go wherever they ain’t wanted and all that... but not me, honey!

Read More
1052 Words | 5 Pages

Walter Lee Younger the “man” of the family faces multiple obstacles to achieve his goal of buying a liquor store… but to achieve this goal he has to argue his way through the family and investigates what he believes is masculine in 1950’s America. Ruth Younger, Walter’s wife, is a typical housewife during the 1950’s. She cleans the house, makes breakfast, and supports her husband. Ruth’s aspirations are kept to herself and she is sometimes hindered by Walter’s dreams.

Read More
699 Words | 3 Pages

( Hansberry 143) Walter’s belief is that people have learned to

Read More
873 Words | 4 Pages

Out of a family of five, three people work: Walter Lee as a chauffeur to a wealthy white family, Ruth as a housemaid, and Mama as a nanny to other peoples children. This is clearly necessary to afford basic needs as shown in their apartment, with “weariness [having], in fact won” (Hansberry pg.23). It is clear in Hansberry’s characterization that the members of the Younger family are dissatisfied with their station in life, albeit to varying degrees; Walter Lee in particular is very vocal regarding their poverty, as he states at one point: “I got boy who sleeps in the living room- and all I got to tell him is stories about how rich white people

Read More
845 Words | 4 Pages

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.

Read More

More about Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

Related Topics

Open Document