A Raisin in the Sun Research Paper Example

A Raisin in the Sun Paper A Raisin in the sun by Lorraine Handlebars thematically represents the life of the Younger family, the conflict of their dreams and their struggle to attain these dreams either for selfishness of the individual or because of family differences. Hughes symbolically represents the Idea of dreams deferred In her poem and such Is a direct resemblance to the different dreams of the characters, Mama, Beneath, Walter Lee and Ruth and the effect that their dreams begin to have on the family and them as individuals. For the Younger family bread is not enough and with the conflict rounding their different dreams the family begins to crumble, pushing them close to the edge. This essay therefore sets out to discuss the individual dreams that each of them aspires to and how their actions to attain their dreams or lack of impact their life as a family and as individuals. Mr. Younger (Big Walter) was the bread winner, the back bone of the family and the inspiration from which the Younger families dreams stemmed, however through his passing his dream of creating a home, to give them something more than he had becomes nothing but a lifeless dream for the Younger. HIS dream to them becomes A raisin In the sun, a dried up dream, especially since the dream was deferred for such a long time and so the Younger now feel that there Is no longer a need to carry on with this deferred dream, everyone except Mama. We will write a custom essay sample on A Raisin in the Sun specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A Raisin in the Sun specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A Raisin in the Sun specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Their desire to aspire to their dreams further stems from their poor, necessitous background. The Younger despite being segregated from the white community as it was in the sass appear to share the same dreams as the white communities. This dream was largely centered with having lots of money and materials things, big house, money and a close knit family. The Younger however struggle to come close to this so called American Dream as it was called. Their struggles through daily hardships constantly prevent them from accomplishing their dreams, which all seem to be deferred at one point. The play begins with a hard and faded outlook on the Younger family life. Through the conversations and description of the house, the reader becomes aware that the family Is unhappy with their current living situation and their life In general however with the promise of a cheese they are meant to Inherit from the deceased Mr. Younger, one may think that things may cake a turn for them. The Younger are anticipative each in their own right of what this cheese might bring for them as individuals or as a family: each family member has their own aspiration of what they will do with the money. Mama who is the head of the house wants to buy a house, this is a dream she wants fulfill which she shared with her husband. This dream is fueled by creating a better life for her family and giving them the things she always dreamed she could. It is the dream that Big Walter was never able to fulfill. Beneath dream is more self- serving she hopes to use the none to pay for her medical school tuition. Walter Lee believes that by investing the money into a liquor store it would give him the wealth he so desires and more importantly help solve their families financial burden for good and give his son Travis the life he wishes for him. Lastly Ruth (Walters wife) tends to side with Mama and believes that by bulling a house not only will It help the family but also her son I ravels Ana Turner create a netter Tie Ana opportunity Tort Arrivals. Walters cream AT investing the money into a liquor store and owning his own business takes over. Because Walters dream has been deferred and a struggle for so long he immediately sees the inheritance as the perfect opportunity to aspire to his dreams, however his immense hunger for this takes control and not only do his aspirations run all over but it begins to dwell on and ruin the rest of the families dreams and impeded Beneath dreams as well. Walter becomes so blinded by this intense need that he is not aware of his actions and the consequences thereof, his anger and frustration is felt by the whole family. So now its life. Money is life. Once upon a time freedom seed to be life?now its money. I guess the world really do change .. ., these are the words spoken by Mama, however Walter response of saying No?it was always money, Mama. We Just didnt know about it, clearly draws attention to Walters need and desire for money and one starts to see through his actions and words that Walter is the character most concerned with making his dreams known. Mamas dream for Walter to not only becomes the man of the house but to buy a new house and lead the family is precisely that, Mamas dream! Walter defers both his fathers reams and his Mothers wishes for her family and when his selfish needs and agonizing pride take over Walters friend runs off with part of the money that Mama gave to Walter. Walters wounded pride on losing his business causes unbearable pain on his Mother especially since Walters actions are impacting on Beneath future plans and continually questions Beneath with who told you that you needed to be a doctor anyways Through all of this his frustrations blind him from seeing the consequences of actions. Walters materialistic view on the world further displays to is son Travis your daddys goanna make a Business transaction thats going to change our lives. You Just name it, son And I hand you the world! These words along with the words spoken to reiterates the selfishness of Walter and how his dream is based largely around money. Mama dreams of the day she can give her family the life they deserve and she deems the only way she can do this is by buying the dream house that her and her husband wished for. However as quick as Walter is to defer the dreams of his deceased father he is for his Mothers dreams. Walter becomes angry and annoyed when he learns that Mama put a deposit on a house, again Walters ego takes over and his words to Mama become harsh and striking, Walters feels his mom has Butchered up a dream of his. (2. 1 . 95) Mama feels that her hopes to do what she could with what she had have been dashed. But before one goes further, Mama once more regains a sense of optimism when her family showers her with gifts, the feeling of her family dreams can be achieved no matter what comes to her. She truly believes in that moment that it will happen but that is before she learns that Walter as lost all the money and there once more Mamas dreams are deferred. When Ruth learns of her pregnancy she is too scared at first to approach Walter, her first thought is abortion, not because she does not want the baby but because she wants what is best for them. Ruth desperately struggles to keep her family together; it is because of Walters extreme restlessness to attain his dreams that Ruth fears the future of her family. Walter is incredibly dissatisfied with his life, and hes taking it out on everybody around him. Poor Ruth feels the brunt of her husbands Napless. Seen seems to De tartar AT want wall napped Detente teem I T Walter doesnt get the chance to attain his dream. Ruts aspirations to give her family a better life are over shadowed and deferred because of Walters dreams for success of his business. Ruth however shows a sense of hope when Mama announces that she has put a down payment on a house. Ruth is elated to hear this news because she too dreams of more clean-living home house where Travis can grow up. However Ruth is quickly put down in her hopes when Walter who feels betrayed will not agree tit her on her dreams. Both Ruth and Walter feel trapped in their lives and although they do share a special love for one another both share a feeling of entrapment an intrepid need to escape their Jobs, their home and their life- style. However through all the trials and tribulations they are faced with their dreams become deferred at every turn. Beneath appears to take the biggest back seat when it comes to her dreams. Mama having trusted Walter to invest half the money into Beneath tuition and the other half into his business venture betrays both Mama and Beneath and uses it all for his own gain. Walter is driven by his sense of jealousy for Beneath and the idea that she seems to be making something of herself and pursuing her independence annoys him. His constant question of Why do you have to be a doctor anyway makes this very visible. Though Walter ruins the dreams of his mother, Ruth, Beneath and ultimately his own a light of hope and peace begins to show itself towards the end of the play. When Walter truly realizes what he has done, he truly feels responsible for dashing his family dreams but he redeems myself when we stands up to Mr.. Liner. Walter quickly realizes what he and his family have had all along despite their deferred dreams. Walter finally sees that it was his fathers dream that was truly the most important and they were all working towards it in their own ways. Walter intends to make this dream of his fathers come alive Thus in conclusion this essay has critically discussed the individual dreams that the characters have and how their actions to attain their dream, or lack thereof impacted their life as a family and as individuals.