Published in 1959, Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" tells a story of an American family, the Youngers (Hansberry). The family resides in South Chicago in a poor neighborhood inhabited by fellow black Americans (Hansberry). Due to poverty, the family struggles to make ends meet until they finally get a home using their father's $ 100,000 life insurance voucher(Hansberry). Walter is one of the play's major characters who comes out as both an antagonist and protagonist. He is the only son in the Youngers family and is less educated, making him perform all the jobs to make ends meet (Hansberry). Walter is an embodiment of the predicament that befalls the black race. The essay provides a critical analysis of Walter's character, from some specific literary theories perspectives, especially critical race theory, psychoanalytic, among others.
Firstly, the black race does not get equal opportunities like their white counterparts, leading to an impoverished life. Walter illustrates the truthfulness in this as the major male character who is a black American. Walter does not have a good education that can afford him a better job (Hansberry). less-educated people become less competitive in the job market, making them struggle to find good-paying jobs. For this reason, they believe miserable life as a struggle to fend for themselves and their families. The same applies to Walter; as a black American with inadequate education, he has to work as a chauffeur, a job that does not give him enough (Hansberry). Walter has to live a less promising life, just like the other black in the story. Poverty is a cycle that this race tries to defeat but cannot due to a lack of resources.
Also, due to poverty, Walter is always in disagreement with his mother, Lena. Walter is always at loggerheads with Mama because he is so obsessed with money that he cannot (Hansberry). For instance, Walter waits eagerly for his father's insurance check so that he can use it to change his life. It is such a pity that this race depends on a deceased person's savings to make their lives better because of the lack of opportunities. Therefore, as a black minority, Walter is not adequately empowered to disentangle himself from poverty due to lack of education.
Alternatively, as a black American, Walter has dreams, but his race cannot allow him to live them. Walter struggles against the Black culture. He is tired of living in poverty and dreams of becoming rich in the future. Every day, he convinces his wife that he will be a man of means to provide for the family as a gentleman. Although he is a chauffeur, he dreams of driving his car. However, he feels that poverty has enslaved his family due to the economic hardships they were going through (Hansberry). For instance, at one point, his wife threatened to commit abortion because Walter was failing to provide as the man of the house. However, deep down, Walter wished to give his family a good life, only that he had no opportunities.
Also, through Walter, it is evident that the black race suffers not because they are less talented but due to their history. Starting from the times of slavery, the black heritage has denied them the opportunity to grow themselves. The system has made these minorities' life more miserable, and even when they try to empower themselves, obstacles weigh them down. For instance, even when Walter tries to start a liquor store, his friend, a prospective partner in the liquor business, makes our way with$6,500Capital (Hansberry). Also, his boss was to fire him from the job if he does not improve his services. All these make Walter even more disillusioned.
Furthermore, Walter is a disturbed man psychologically. He is living in denial that he belongs to a lesser economic class, the reason he lives his life every day trying to prove that he is not incapable of becoming rich. This psychological disposition places Walter in a critical position in the family and society. Walter calls his home a "bit- up- hole" since it was never a standard one, so he wanted a better life for his wife and son (Hansberry). Walter comes to hate any rich people around him as he saw them as spiteful of his condition. This taunted his self-esteem. At one point, he attacks George; by criticizing his dressing, he refers to his shoes as "faggoty white shoes" (Hansberry). He does this to make George feel bad about himself and his success as a scholar and a career man.
Walter is never at peace with himself, which forces him to live a lie. he has no money to afford the good things of life but can never get to terms with this. Due to shame, he has to lie to George that he has traveled the world. He tells him that he has even been to New York, which was false. Walter does all these to run away from his problems (Hansberry). Even though he is a poor man, he lies about his economic status because he hates his situation. However, he does this due to low self-esteem as he does not want to be seen by others as a man without money.
Walter leaves resentful life. He is angry and bitter with everyone because he has no money and thinks that others cause his problems. At many times he quarrels with Mama and his wife concerning money issues and his economic status. A person who is never contented with life in most cases is unhappy and easy to provoke. Walter argues with Mama how they should use the insurance savings, whereby Walter insists that he should have used the money to start a new life by opening a liquor outlet (Hansberry). Also, Walter easily gets angry when they have a conversation with George. When he tells George that he is only rich because of his education and background, George calls him a resentful man, making Walter even more furious. All this bitterness is because of Walter's economic status.
Walter's love for money makes him materialistic, and this is his major drawback as a character. His life revolves around money, and he has lived everyday longing to have more and more. Walter plans on what to do with her father's insurance money without thinking of others. He only wants to use the money to establish himself and does not care about Beneatha's education or Mama's vision of having a new home for the family. His love for money makes him jealous of other people's success, such as Georges (Hansberry). Walter is happy when Karl, the white man in the new neighborhood, wants to buy their new house back (Hansberry). He is delighted with this deal because he wanted all the money and did not want it spent on anything. Walter does not understand that this white man wanting to buy the house from them was oppressive and exploitative of the black they have experienced since time immemorial. According to Karl, the neighborhood was peaceful, and any black would bring trouble such as a crime as they were believed to be troublemakers (Hansberry). However, Walter's materialistic nature blurs his vision such that he does not see this deal from this perspective.
Additionally, Walter's love for money puts him in constant argument with those around him. The insurance checks emotionally affect Walter. He cannot rest until he has the share of the money (Hansberry). Due to this money, Walter constantly argues with his wife Ruth on how it should be used. Mama and Ruth think opening a liquor store is not the right option, but Walter can hear none of this. For Walter, the liquor store business would open doors for him so that he becomes rich and drives a good car just like the other men he sees around him (Hansberry). He is devastated for lack of money. What is love or money makes him almost run out of his mind when Willis runs away with the capital Walter intended to use to open a liquor store (Hansberry). The major problem with Walter is that he wants to get rich without having to work hard. He envisions a luxurious life, which makes him money-oriented. However, deep down, it is evident that Walter's love for money is rooted in the fact that he wanted a better life for his family, making him a good man. When he realizes his dream was futile, he becomes a changed man and supports his family's vision, thus a turning point in his life.
In conclusion, Hansberry uses Walter to depict the injustices that the black minorities face in society. Walter is disillusioned, which makes him an unhappy man. His love for money drives him into making irrational decisions. However, he later changes and becomes a better son and father as the play ends.
