“Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry Essay

Since the 1930s, the imagination that a family, a home, opportunity, bullion and security being available to everyone in the US has been the American Dream. Unfortunately, in reality this dream isnt really available to everyone, non so and not now. The idea of an American Dream is examined through and through proscribed Lorraine Hansberrys play, A Raisin in the Sun as the theme of the play surrounds itself around Langston Hughes poem, Harlem where Hughes examines if dreams shrivel and dry up like a Raisin in the Sun. residual-to-end the play, all the characters express their witness dreams for their lives. The idea of the American dream is analyzed to the point that at the end of the play, although this dream isnt available to everyone because of racial, gender and class discrimination, the most important aspect the Youngers find out of it is the uniting of the family.Every character in the book has their own idea of the American dream. Mama and pity dream of owning their own house and get the family out of their current living situation while Beneatha dreams of getting an education, becoming a doctor and not being dependent on a man for anything. Walter, although he wants to back his family, has his dream of buying a booze store to raise bills for his family. He finds more(prenominal) pride in proving himself successful. Walter, although with a capitalistic way of thinking, sticks to his own dream and come off as a frustrated character throughout the play.He takes out his frustration about not having money on Ruth, You tired, aint you?So tired-moaning and groaning all the time, but you wouldnt do anything to help, would you? (32). At number 1 his frustration is because of the familys financial situation, but it just grows with Ruths pregnancy. Eventually, he realizes that his dream of the liquor store isnt feasible when he actually has the insurance money and he deals with its loss. He realizes that money was not the only barrier keeping him from his dream. Walter learns that what everyone else is hoping foe, the home, is the ultimate goal he should in like manner be supporting.Beneatha on the other hand, has the American dream of getting an education. During the time period of the play, not only was it unusual for a fair sex to go to medical school but also it was even more rare of a black woman. Beneatha attends many obstacles on her way to achieving her dream sheconstantly faces discrimination because of her turn tail and class and oddly because of her gender. Even with hard work and persistence, she would have a lot more difficult time achieving her dream. For example, for snow-clad males to be going to medical school at that time was very common. They did not have to face gender or racial discrimination. Beneatha, not only has to provide money for her education but also deal with societys disapproval because of the path she chose to pursue. She doesnt even get support from her own brother.Walter continuously beli ttles her dreams and says that she should just get married and be quiet. (38). Walter, along with society at that time, believed that a womans place was to stay at home, cook, clean and take care of the children. Although Mama and Ruth support Beneathas individualist attitude, they do not under pedestal it. When Beneatha mentions that she is not worried about who shes going to attach yet-if she ever gets married, (50) they are horrified at the thought of a respectable young woman not being married. However, as the play progresses, Beneatha realizes that the dream of owning a house is the dream of the whole family and that she must acquit united with them against people like Carl Lindner.Throughout the play, Mama and Ruths dream of securing the familys approaching through the idea of buying a house stays constant. They also face many obstacles in trying to achieve this idea in the American Dream. Carl Lindner, from the welcoming committee of the all-white Clybourne Park residence area, sees their race and tries to persuade and eventually bribe them into not purchasing their dream house. Mama, however, does not give into this obstacle and goes through with the purchase of the home. After Walter deals with the lost insurance money and Beneatha deals with the loss of money for her education, they start to accept the idea of uniting to pursue one dram for the whole family. They realize that the happiness that they get from fulfilling the dream of the inbuilt family is much more important to them than fulfilling their own dreams. Individually, they all have many hurdles but when they stand united as a family, they can get through them all.Just as the Youngers faced obstacles on their path to the American Dream, most people in todays society face mistakable problems. Whether it be thedream of education, a house or opportunity, people face discrimination every cadence of the way. As much as the society would like to believe that everyone has equal opportunity to succeed in life, it is just not true. Race, gender and class discrimination creates barriers for people trying to achieve their dreams of success. Much expediency is needed in the mindset of society before everyone truly has equal opportunity to achieve his or her version of the American Dream.