Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry demonstrates the keen search for happiness throughout the play represented by the Younger family. On this pursuit of a higher dream the main character Mama must be able Mama, through rough physical and physiological barriers is able to identify her own needs for the pursuit of greater happiness. (MAKE THIS LONGER/BETTER LATER) As the play progresses, Mama’s own belief of her personal needs rapidly come to light through the expressions of the family and her trusty plant. In the Younger house hold there is a “feeble little plant growing… on the windowsill”(499) that begins to represent Mamas happiness. The growing symbolism between her and this plant shows up throughout the play to represent the caring Mama gives to her family. Mama explicitly expresses what she believes will

In the eyes of Mama, money is a means to an end. She finds herself arguing over the idea of using money to buy happiness when talking with Walter who believes that money is the key to happiness: “Money is life. Once upon a time freedom used to be life—now it’s money”(552) This constant barrier of Walter’s generational concept that “Money is life”(552) holds back and sets a strong obstacle that mama has to overcome in her pursuit of happiness. In addition to Walter there is Mr. Lindner form the one and only Clybourne Park welcoming committee. Mr. Lindner respectfully gives his “caring”(553) ideas that the Clybourne park community feels that “Negro families are happier when they live in their own communities”(553). This unwelcoming environment, when so close to achieving a better life for her family, drastically implements a wall of hardship for her to overcome. After working so hard to achieve her dream she is met with just another obstacle in her way of achieving