Similarities Between The American Dreamer And A Raisin In The Sun

The American Dreamer The American Dream means so much to so many, but in very different ways. If you surveyed individuals to get a definition of the American Dream, I’m certain that the answers would be very diverse. This I attribute to the Dream being an individual thing and not one that can be defined by all individuals in the same manner. In this paper I orchestrate to show the dreams of several characters as described in two works, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry and Dreamer by Charles Johnson. In both of these works, albeit the dreams were different for these characters initially, the end result was for the same purposes. Though various experiences these individuals had to work through, the definition of the American dream

Walter was a son, husband and father desperately seeking success in A Raisin in the Sun. To Walter, the definition of being successful was financial wealth, something he didn’t have at the time or growing up. Walter isn’t very happy with his life working as a chauffeur for a white man not having any advancement opportunities. To Walter his life is a disgrace and he is in desperate need of an entrepreneurial venture that will bring him financial security. Walter puts so much energy and time into seeking ways to become wealthy, but he wasn’t willing to put in the necessary work to achieve this goal. Instead, he always searched for a short cut which resulted in unsuccessful attempts to complete his goals. Walter’s dream was to be wealthy, which would enable him to obtain all things that fulfil his American dream. Those things include having funds to provide a home for his family and all other necessities that would make his life and that of his family completely. Chaym Smith in the Novel Dreamer was similar to Walter’s character. Chaym like Walter, was extremely unhappy with his life and what he had become. Smith served in the military during the War and after which he left due to a severe injury to his leg. Chaym was married but lost his wife and children to a fire. Subsequently, he became dependent on alcohol and suffered a mental breakdown resulting in a short hospitalization. Both characters exhibited rude and offensive behavior as a result of their circumstances. Initially Chaym didn’t think that dreams were able to become reality because of the type of world we live in. In his words, Chaym says, “…, (Johnson) and it showed me there’s two kinds of people in this world. Predators and prey. Lions and lunch. You see it any other way, buddy, and people will chump you off.” This is where