A Raisin in the Sun was written by Lorraine Hansberry, published in the year 1959. The story is about a black family that lives in South Chicago in a poor neighborhood sharing a two-roomed apartment. The story tells of a black family that struggles to make ends meet when the father of the house dies, Beneatha's father; they receive a check of his life insurance worth $ 100,000. The family is divided on how to use the money, and each member of the family has a plan. Lena wants the family to move to a better house while Walter wishes to start a liquor selling store, and Beneatha intends to use the money for her education. Finally, they move to a new neighborhood, and Beneatha abandons her white boyfriend, to a better Nigerian one. A raisin in the Sun is a story of hopes and dreams, poverty, and disillusionment.
American Dream is an ideology that advocates for equality of all people of all races and social status in America. The movement was born in 1931 by James Adams. The dream advocates for opportunities for everyone for a better living. Hansberry wrote the play at a time when cities such as Chicago had ended the American Dream movement, and thus she used Southern Chicago as a setting of the play. Also, the title of the play is derived from the poem; "Montage of a Dream Deferred, which is about the African American dream of economic stability and success. The belief derives its tenets from the declaration of Independence in America. The American dream ideology requires freedom to own property and stabilize one's economic status and also advocates of political liberty whereby all citizens are allowed to vie for positions or vote for a leader of their choice that is democracy. Equality is the backbone of the American Dream.
American Dream is an ideology advocate for economic stability for her citizens. In everyday life, man is always working towards making his life better. Lena is the mother of Beneatha and Walter. When she gets the 10,000 USD check, she wants the family to relocate to a safer neighborhood. For Lena, buying a house for her family was her priority and did not want the money to be put for other uses. Owning a property will liberate the family from the struggles of renting an apartment that was smaller for the size of the family.
Beneatha is Lona's daughter. She is in school, studying medicine. Beneatha is a very academic-oriented person and also wants to put the insurance money in her studies. When the dough is lost, she is devastated; she then hopes that things may change for the better, and she stops the lamenting. The American dream is about struggling to better oneself, and proper use of resources and this is what they needed as she goes for her dream.
Walter is disillusioned when Willis runs away with the money that was meant to help him start a liquor business. This is an opportunity that he had but has now been snatched away from him. He lived a poor life, and this is not what he wanted.
' Walter:… you tired, ain't you? Tired of everything. Me, the boy - the way we live, this beat-up hole-? everything, ain't you? pg 45"
Race and class have a big role to play in the kind of life that this family lives. They are of a black race that is associated with poverty, crime, and ignorance. The blacks have lesser opportunities in society. Walter, the son of Lena, is a chauffeur, a lower-paying job while their father was in a job that could not earn the family a better life. The black race is also treated with suspicion but the community as we see how the family is treated once they move to a white Estate. The neighbor wants to buy back the house from Lena because he believes that black means trouble and crime. Walter says that he is as poor as he is because blacks are given no opportunities to make themselves better.
The American dream is, to some extent, reshaped by the character of ethnicity and the values in the play. The American dream is about living in America and utilizing its resources to create opportunities for self-growth. However, in the play, Beneatha does not conform to this as she resolves to go to Africa with Asagai and fulfill her endeavors of becoming a doctor. Walter tries to convince her that in America, people are paid hourly, but Beneatha could hear none of this.
"Beneatha: To go to Africa mama be- a doctor in Africa ……" (Lorraine, pg 147)
The characters in the play dream of a better life, and they work towards achieving this life. Lena dreams of a better house for the family. She gets a house in a white neighborhood, and this makes her happy. The family also gets to love the new house. The joy of having a house is expressed as they are unpacking, and they look forward to living a quiet and peaceful life. Even when a neighbor offers mama a price for the house so that they can move out, mama is relentless in keeping the house.
Beneatha wants to be a doctor; she is in school studying to be a medic. She is frustrated when money meant for her studies is stolen. Beneatha also had to break up with her rich boyfriend because the boyfriend was insensitive in racial matters. However rich the boyfriend was, Beneatha never sought financial assistance from him, but she worked her way up. She gets an African boyfriend from Nigeria who seems to be understanding. However, she finally finished school and is ready for the world. She accepts to marry Asagai and move with him to Nigeria, where she can practice her profession. Her dream to be a career woman is fulfilled in the end.
"BENEATHA Mama, Asagai asked me to marry him todayand go to Africa—MAMA …He did?""You ain't old enough to marry nobody—(Seeing themoving men lifting one of her chairs precariously)Darling that ain't no bale of cotton, please handle it soWe can sit in it again! I had that chair twenty-five years …(The movers sigh with exasperation and go onwith their work)Beneatha: (Girlishly and unreasonably trying to pursue theconversation) To go to Africa, Mama—be a doctor inAfrica …" (Lorraine pg 148)
Walter, too dreams of a better life. They live in abject poverty, and this makes him a sad man. He doesn't have money to offer his son a better schooling education. He wants to be as rich as the people he dreams about and wants to give his family a life that he never had. He sees himself as enslaved in poverty and attributes this to racism. Throughout the play, Walter evolves, and by the time they move into the new house, he is no longer clinging to the idea of being wealthy. He is proud of his father, who worked to afford them a house. Walter says that his father warned them the house one brick after the other and that they should finally live in a beautiful house as a happy family. And for that reason, they will live in harmony with everyone. They felt contented.
"WALTER: What I am telling you is that we called you over here to tell you that we are very proud and that this…Travis, come here… This is my son, and he makes the sixth generation our family in this country. And we have all thought about your offer" pg148.
Every person has a desire to live a better life and so should work relentlessly in pursuit of the dream, as seen in the life of the Youngers. They unite as a family and beat the odds even if they are from a race regarded as violent, uneducated, and poor. Beneatha gets her degree and a loving lover who connects her with her heritage, Africa, while Lena finally gets her family the house of her dreams in a safe neighborhood. Walter grows to become a more reasonable man and is no longer disillusioned. Life should be about getting opportunities and using them to create your small paradise on earth. Giving up should never be an option.
