a capitalistic society money is everything, as the whole economic system relies on the creation and use of capital. Money can get anybody anything even if you are from a different race, religion, or gender. Many people do not consider money to be a social barrier however it definitely leads to self esteem. The books Raisin in the Sun, Fences, and The Great Gatsby demonstrate that through capitalism, wealth gives people unlimited potential to gain power and self esteem. Raisin in the Sun tells the story of an African American family that has not had the fortune of a great deal of money and has had to struggle to make all the money they have. The whole family lives in poverty in an apartment that is best described as “polished, washed, sat…show more content… Each in their own way wants to put it to something that will get them more money to help support their family. However their mother has a different agenda. She wants to spend it on a nice house for the whole family. This shows how she wants to use the money to improve the family’s self esteem when they are willing to go so far as to “work [themselves] to death” as was the case with their father (Hansberry 45). The mother exercises her true right as a capitalist to use her money how she deems fit and she decides to give her family the self esteem she feels they deserve. In Fences the main characters undergo a similar yet somewhat different situation when their family had already purchased their house and fulfilled their version of the American Dream. However, they find the problems in paying for food and their day to day existence. The main character Troy points out that his son doesn’t seem in line with what he views as the intended use of capitalism as he looks at his son and says “I don’t know why [Lyons] don’t go and get him a decent job and take care of that woman he got.” (Wilson 168). Troy sees his son as being unable to bring self esteem and
