Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

“ What happens to a dream deferred?” from Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem“ is what inspired Lorraine Hansberry to create the play, “ A Raisin in the Sun “. Hansberry introduces The Younger Family living in the Southside of Chicago, trying to live day by day, struggling for their dreams. The central theme is that even though there may be obstacles in the way of your dreams, it is crucial not to lose your dignity and pride in the journey towards your aspirations in life. Throughout this play, the reader will see how this family will go through many challenges to achieve their dreams while keeping hold of what is most important.

Mama is the voice and age of wisdom. She has been through so much and tries to teach her kids and grandchild Travis,

Beneatha's dream is to become a doctor. However, being a young, black female feminist, especially during the mid twentieth century, is a challenge itself. “ I am going to be a doctor and everybody around here better understand that! “ (Hansberry 50) Another conflict Beneatha goes through to fulfill her dream is to pay for her tution. It is always a struggle when it comes to money, especially with this family. Beneatha is also trying to find out who she is as a person, always experimenting knew hobbies, which is also costly. “The horseback-riding club for which she bought that fifty-five-dollar riding habit that’s been hanging in the closet ever since! “ (Hansberry 47) Even though Beneatha is a college student and is trying to find who she is as a person, no matter financially, her family always has her back. Walter Lee is the definition of determination. He has been a chauffeur for a white man for three years now and he's had it, he wants to do what is better for his family. “...I’m thirty-five years old; I been married eleven years,and I got a boy who sleeps in the living room-all I got to give him is stories about how rich white people live…” (Hansberry 34) Walter is hoping to invest in a liquors store with friends, however no one in the family is quiet on board with the idea. From pages one-hundred-eight to one-hundred-nine, Walter calls over Travis and tells him his “plans” once they invest into

Mama had put a down payment on a house in a white neighborhood where there so call “Welcoming Committee” was trying to buy the family out, because they are black. They were never going to leave but, Walter invested the rest of Mamas life insurance money into the liquor store and completely backfired. One of the investors ran with the money. The Youngers actually started to consider the white man's offer, confused and not knowing what to do. Walter calls over the white man, Mr.Linder to the apartment to talk. Mama, Ruth, Beneatha, and Travis have no idea what to expect. “ We called you- because, well, me and my family, we are very plain people. And-uh-well, my father, well, he was a laborer most of his life…. My father almost beat a man to death once because this man called him a bad name or something, you know what I mean? -What I mean is that we come from people who had a lot of pride. I mean-we are very proud people. And that's my sister over there and she's going to be a doctor-and we are very proud.” (Hansberry 148) The family knows what Walter is doing, finally, the right thing. Mama begins to cry. “ And we have decided to move into our home because my father-my father-he earned it for us brick by brick.We don't want to make no trouble for nobody or fight no causes. And that's all we got to say about that. We don't want your money.” (Hansberry 148) The Youngers rejoice and get