Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin In The Sun - Dreams Essay -- English L

A Raisin in the Sun - DreamsDreamsThe play A Raisin in the Sun demonstrates the hardships and successesof the members of a black family living in the south side of Chicagoduring the 50s. For the Youngers, dreams are life. They are whatbring the family together and pull it aside throughout the play. Eachmember of the family has a particular dream, and each of those dreamsis like a wall being built between its owner and various opposite membersof the family. Everyones dream straddles the line between selfishnessand goodness for the family however, some, like Walters, seem to bepulled more by the gravity of selfishness. Both Mama and Ruth handlethe same dream, but each has a slightly different reason for herpreference.Walters dream is the most apparent from the beginning of the play,and he presses his family and himself until he accomplishes his goal.Walter focuses so much on his dream, however, that he leaves no roomfor his family. One may ask, why is he so intent on his dream? Walte ris out to demonstrate something to himself, to his family, and to the world.He needs to show people that he is a man and is responsible. No oneever trusted Walter with anything important as crumb be seen when hesays, Aint nobody with me Not even my own mother (Hansberry, 85).In all of his life, Walter was not allowed to grow into a man and boot outthe responsibility of his life and the lives of his family. Mama hasalways been the head of the family, and Walter never got the chance inhis childhood to take responsibility with less important matterstherefore, when he is turn over a check for $6500, Walter does what henever had the chance to do before. Walters father was a proud man whowanted his family t... ...s possessions in the minds of many people. They cantear apart a family like the Youngers, or they can grasp and control amind like that of Walter. However, dreams are items not easily left(a)behind, and if they were, what would become of the people who ownedthem? Dreams ma ke up a part of the life of humans that without, whocan say where life may lead a person. Probably nowhere. For withoutdreams, a human has no ambitions and no hope to make any impact uponthe world. Without dreams the human race would be one of idlecreatures that desire nothing more than to be like the cockroaches inthis play, searching only for the necessities of life between periodsof sleep. Maybe that would be better, though, for someone like Walterafter all, what has he done but be a burden upon society? Or will hesomeday succeed because of a dream, if only through his son?