The Role of Money in A Raisin In The Sun Essay Example

The meaning and role of money changes from person to person depending on their view on money. In the play A Raisin in the Sun, the Younger family receives insurance money. However, nobody in the house agrees on how to spend the money. In Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, Walter, Mama, and Beneatha, have different ideologies about money which greatly impact their behavior and attitude towards one another, creating disagreements on the usage of the insurance money.

The male protagonist, Walter, holds money in great regard, believing that money is the answer to solving all problems in life. In this way, money symbolizes the hope of the American Dream, the belief that being in America will make life better. Mama asks Walter why he talks about money so much to which he responds with, “Because it is life, Mama!” (1.2.74). His insistence that money is the controlling factor in life causes him to be obsessed with money, do anything for money, and a bad listener. He really wants to invest in the liquor store, but his family is not supportive of that idea, causing him to not listen to their thoughts. Walter thinks that they are trying to dissuade him from the investment. He forgets his original goal of becoming a bigger man to support his family, and becomes a toothless rat who is constantly chasing money. Walter’s greed for money clouded his vision of what’s important in life, and caused him to live for money.

Mama values money, as she knows it’s worth, uses it for what she believes it’s worth for. She uses part of the insurance money on her dream house. A single detached home with a garden and yard. Unlike Walter, Mama believes that family is more important than material wealth. After she puts a halt to Walter's goal of investing in a liquor store, she decides to compensate by giving the leftover insurance money to Walter. This represents her trust in Walter despite his misgivings. She tells him, “I ain’t never stop trusting you. Like I ain’t never stop loving you” (2.1.107). For Mama, money also represents hope for a better future. However, unlike Walter, she hasn’t lost sight of what is important to her, viewing money as a way to help the family, not the end result. Mama is willing to do anything for the family, is patient, loving, and religious. Since she still remembers the hardships of being in the south, she believes that freedom is life, not money. Out of everyone in the household, Mama holds firm to her beliefs and holds family over everything.

As a nontraditional woman, Beneatha, is shown as an outlier in the household. She is determined to overcome racism and sexism. Determined to achieve her goal of helping others and proving herself, she goes to college to learn. Despite insisting that the insurance money is for Mama, Beneatha wants the money as a college fund. Mama knows this and asks Walter to save a portion of the remaining insurance money for Beneatha’s schooling. However, Beneatha never verbally expresses how she feels about the money until she learns that the money was not put into her school funding. In one conversation with Asagai, Beneatha has an outburst on how she felt about Walter using the portion of the money that was saved for her. She exclaims, “...And nobody asked me, nobody consulted me - they just went out and changed my life” (3.1.134). Beneatha’s conversation with Asagai reveals that despite her not talking about using the money for herself, she feels robbed of the opportunity for her future. Beneatha is described as naive, full of dreams, and a feminist. Since she is shown with a progressive view on society and life, she strives for change. Unlike Walter and Mama, she doesn’t hold onto material worth or money. Just like Mama and Walter, Beneatha also views money as an opportunity to reach her dream; the American Dream, as a stepping stone for her goal. Dreams are what keeps Beneatha looking forward to the future; money is a tool for her dreams.

Different views on a subject influence our attitude and behavior, which sometimes creates conflicts between each other. In Lorraine Hansberry's play, A Raisin in the Sun, Walter, Mama, and Beneatha’s different ways of thinking generate a disagreement between each other on how the insurance money should be spent. The way money is perceived really changes depending on how it is regarded by its user.