What Is A Dream In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

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Have you ever had a dream that you could only attain with money? Did you want to fulfill this dream so desperately that you would do anything to accomplish it? In the screenplay A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, the Younger family deals with issues and dreams that all relate to money. Walter, a member of the Younger family, has a dream of owning a liquor store. Even though Walter wants to fulfill his dream and live a flawless life, he can’t because he doesn’t have the money that he needs to do so. When he receives an opportunity to fulfill his dream, he becomes so obsessed with money to the point where it messes up his chances. Throughout the screenplay, Hansberry proves through Walter losing the money, Mama and Beneatha viewing Walter …show more content…
When Walter finds out that he has lost the money, he tells Mama and the rest of his family the news. Hansberry writes, “Mama: Son… Is it gone? Son, I gave you sixty-five hundred dollars. Is it gone? All of it? Beneatha’s money too? Walter: Mama… I never… went to the bank at all… Mama: (Not wanting to believe him) You mean… your sister’s school money… you used that too… Walter? Walter: Yesss! All of it… It’s all gone…” (Hansberry 129). Walter struggles to tell Mama about how his actions led to him losing all the money. Walter feels guilty and ashamed as shown through the pauses in his sentences. Mama is in a state of disbelief as indicated when she doesn’t want to believe that Walter didn’t put away Beneatha’s part of the insurance money. Walter’s money loss creates negative consequences within the Younger family because now Beneatha doesn’t have her college fund, which ruins her plans to become a doctor. Walter’s obsession with money consumes his life and controls his actions which lead to him being blinded by their impact since he was only thinking about himself and didn’t realize the possible outcome of his actions. Walter’s “failed gamble” creates unnecessary chaos within the Younger family because now some of his family member’s dreams are ruined. When Walter finds out that he has lost the money, he panics. Hansberry …show more content…
Walter’s obsession with money led to many negative complications and consequences within his family. Walter’s greed led him to lose the money, which generated chaos in his family. Walter’s money loss and actions created problems within the family because it ruined relationships between him, Beneatha, and Mama. His greed also produced different moods within him that he usually wouldn’t feel if he wasn’t so invested into money. All of these reasons show that money and greed can ruin many aspects of your life. If you have a dream which requires money that you want to fulfill, be conscious about others as you make your decisions. If you behave the way Walter did, you might lose more than just
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