Dreams Analysis of the play-“A Raisin in the Sun”
Abstract
In the play “A Raisin in the Sun”, Lorraine Hansberry presents characters in a family with different aspirations and desires. The characters’ dreams are conflicting in terms of interest because they share a common determining factor that will determine their materialization or failure. This essay explores these dreams, their inter-relations as well as their importance to each character and other family members.
Introduction
The plays’ setting is in the South-side of Chicago at a time after the Second World War. The Youngers is a black, American family consisting of a widowed mother-Lena. Lena has a daughter named Beneatha, a son named Walter and a daughter-in-law named Ruth (Walter’s wife). Lena is in her early sixties and has recently retired. She has no source of income in the meantime. However, she is waiting for her husband’s insurance check worth ten thousand dollars. She plans to buy a house worth three thousand dollars and bank the rest of the money for her daughters’ medical school fees.
The dreams of the Youngers’ family members and their conflicting nature
Lena, the mother of the house had a dream that shared in the dreams of her children. Her dream was to fulfill the dreams of her children by making them come true. In her plan she decided to buy a three thousand dollar house at ClydePark and bank the remnant of the check for Beneatha’s medical college fees. However, these actions to fulfill her dream did not go down well with Walter. Walter desired to use the same remaining money to fulfill his dream of opening a liquor store. Walter’s dream of opening a liquor store was thus, compromised by Beneatha’s desire to study medicine. On the other hand, Beneatha hoped to achieve her dream of being a doctor by studying medicine using the remaining money from the check after the purchase of the house. On her part; Ruth simply dreamed about getting wealthy (Hansberry & Morrine, 1994). These dreams conflicted to a great extent because they depended on a single and limited resource: their father’s ten thousand worth insurance check. The remnant of the money after the purchase of the house was not enough for both Beneatha and Walter to fulfill their dreams. Therefore, for one of them to have his/her dream fulfilled, the other had to forego theirs. Similarly, their mother would not fulfill all her children’s dreams by offering the remaining money to one child. On the other hand, the success of Ruth’s dream was dependant on the success of Walter’s dream. Therefore, her dream was compromised by Beneatha’s dream as much as it compromised Walter’s. Eventually, when Walter discovered his mother’s plan, he got angered because his dream would die. As a result, of this Lena trustingly gave the money meant for Beneatha to Walter. Later on, Walter lost all the money through his friends who promised to help him acquire a liquor store license. Thus, Walter’s and Ruth’s dreams as well as those of Beneatha were lost because all the remaining money was lost. However, they positively contended with reality and let go their dreams for the moment (Hansberry & Morrine, 1994).
Conclusion
Conclusively, all dreams were important to their dreamers. However, Lena’s dreams were of utmost importance. This is because they were to determine the success of all other dreams of the family members; without which they too would not realize their dreams.
References
Hansberry, L, and Morrine, M. (1994). A Raisin in the Sun. Piscataway, NJ: Research and Education Association Publishers.
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