Circumstances in A Raisin in the Sun Essay Example

A Raisin In The Sun is a play about circumstances. Throughout the entirety of the story, individuals and the whole family are in situations like living a life in poverty, Walter working as a driver, Ruth being pregnant, the money coming in, buying a house in a white neighborhood, and many more. A person’s life is not controlled so much by his circumstances as by how he responds to those circumstances. Through different combinations of responses and outcomes, “A Raisin In The Sun” displays how the circumstances Mama and Walter face have significant connections to their outlooks, and the impacts of their decisions and responses that are influenced by their varying views and deferred dreams ultimately shape the family’s lives. 

A good circumstance is Mama receiving the money, as her response is to buy a house with part of the money. Though Walter is dissatisfied and ignorant at first, this decision provides an possibility for improvement in the quality of life for the whole family as they can take a step to battle poverty, and leave this “rat trap”. Ruth tearfully and thankfully yells, “GOOD-BYE MISERY…”(II.I.94) which allows to understand how desponding it was for the family to live in such poor conditions for so long. It is also implied that perhaps Mama’s decision led Ruth to keep the baby as she says “I’ll strap the baby on my back if I have to and scrub all the floors in America…”(III.I.140) later on in the book, as she begs to move out of the kitchenette. Originally, Ruth planned on getting an abortion, before Mama received the money, but with the hope of a new house and a better life for her child, her thoughts change, as shown in this sentence, since she is thinking about keeping her baby and her plan of action after its birth. If Mama had given all the money to Walter or done nothing, it may have not been able to bring these positive outcomes and opportunities.

Some circumstances are proposed as beneficial, but responses to them can turn the tables. A good circumstance for Walter is when Mama gives Walter the remaining $6,500 and trusts him to do the right thing. This could be the moment where Walter picks himself up and looks at the world with his eyes, instead of staring at his feet, understanding that people have always been on his team. He says, “You really trust me like that, Mama” and “Daddy ain’t going to never be drunk again…”(II.II.107) However, these words are deemed as meaningless, as he shortly loses all the money. This shows that the trust didn’t change his core greed, and he is slowly devoured by it when he realizes that the money has more value than mere cash and yells, “THAT MONEY IS MADE OF MY FATHER’S FLESH''(II.III.128). Despite being given a wonderful chance, Walter’s response driven by his perspective leads to him losing not only money, but faith in himself.

Walter is faced with a constant battle between his dreams and reality. He wants to be wealthier, afford more than the bare minimum, and provide for his family, but thinks he cannot do so with his job as a chauffeur, always being under the control of others. He says “I got to change my life, I’m choking to death”(I.I.34) and “I got a boy who sleeps in the living room—”(I.I.34) which shows he is not satisfied with the way things are.This itself is a bad circumstance as it leaves him looking for the quickest solution and escape out of this nightmare. He believes that money can solve the problem as he passionately proclaims, “Because it is life, Mama!”(I.II.74) when Mama questions his recurring statements surrounding money. Walter’s response ends up in him using the family’s funds because of his mindset that his deferred dreams overpower his reality, and this thought that he cannot do enough for everyone leads to impulse, and eventually regret.

Lindner comes over and offers the family a twisted deal, displaying the everpresent segregation and separation black folks had to face, by offering money if they moved out of the all-white neighborhood. In this circumstance, the insurance money is gone and Walter’s thing he has no option but to look at his feet and accept his belief of the only way out at the moment, “That white man is going to walk in that door, able to write checks for more money than we ever had”(III.I.143) He succumbs enough to easily hand in his dignity and is ready to willingly hand in vicariously, himself. However, this circumstance gives him a chance to reflect on his thoughts and understand himself when Lindner Comes over and he looks at his son. This is when he grasps his pride and finally feels proud with himself, and even is only a little, content with everything. He softens and says “My father— he earned it for us brick by brick”(III.I.148). And realizing that it’s not about the money, it’s also about us, and those before us, who gave us a chance to follow our rightful dreams, frees a part of Walter with the five words, “We don’t want your money.”(III.I.148) Walter’s response, peacefully and with humble intentions only, refusing the offer, is something that inadvertently shapes who he is now, builds a backbone of trust and care towards his family, and changes who he will become.  

A Raisin In The Sun presents both favorable and difficult circumstances for Walter and Mama who have their varying ideals and hopes, leaving them to make the choices that lead to positive and negative impacts on their lives. The actions Walter and Mama choose to respond with, are the parts that make the difference, affect the flow of the story, and enhance character development, not the circumstance itself.