Theme of Dreams in A Raisin in the Sun Analysis Essay Example

How would you feel if your dreams are put away and dried up just so you won't hurt the people around you? In “ A Raisin In The Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry,demonstrates the hardships of the Younger Family. Walter Younger is Mama’s only son, Ruth’s husband Travis's father, and Beneatha’s brother. Walter is going through a hard time because he wants to open up a liquor store but he doesn’t have the money for it. His mother receives $10,000 from her husband’s life insurance and Walter wants to use that money to achieve his American Dream of success. Mama doesn’t think it’s a good idea to spend money on the liquor store. Walter doesn’t think about his family’s dream and is slowly hurting all of them. Sometimes it's better if people put aside their dreams and let them die so they won’t hurt others.

Being hyper focused on a certain dream will change your relationships with others. Walter Younger’s biggest dream is to own a liquor store so he could make enough money to provide for his family. Walter doesn’t have enough money to buy liquor but he knows  that his mother is getting a check of $10,000 so he wants to use that money on the liquor store. His mother doesn’t give him the money because she wants to give some money to her daughter Beneatha for her school education.Beneatha wants to become a doctor but she needs her family to pay for her education in order she can accomplish her dream. Walter doesn’t agree with Beneatha becoming a doctor because that's not a femine job back in the day. This affects Walter’s and Beneatha’s relationship because they keep arguing about the money. 

Walter’s wife Ruth is pregnant with their second child but Ruth doesn’t want to keep the baby due to them having economic problems. Mama wants Walter to use the money for his baby on the way. But Walter doesn’t listen about it so Ruth and Walter start having more arguments. This affects their relationship because Walter is only thinking about his liquor store. 

“MAMA (Quietly) Oh—(Very quietly) So now it’s life. Money is life. Once upon a time freedom used to be life—now it’s money. I guess the world really do change. “(Act 1, Scene 2) This text shows when Walter and Mama were arguing about how obsessed Walter has gotten over money instead of his family. Mama realizes that nowadays people worry about money but back in her day people were worrying about freedom. 

In Act 2 scene one, Mama comes home and tells Travis that she bought a home for him. Almost everyone was happy that they were all going to move into a new house except for Walter. “ (Bitterly, to hurt her as deeply as he knows is possible) So you butchered up a dream of mine—you—who always talking ’bout your children's dreams..” This quote shows that Walter is completely upset with Mama because he believes that she truly doesn’t care about his dreams. He is very disappointed in her but he knows that at the end of the day it was her money after all.  Walter feels like no one is supporting him and that they don’t care about him. He’s too focused on the liquor store that he doesn’t realize that buying this house would be good for the family. 

Having a dream can dry up if they are being put aside for a long time just so others won’t get hurt. Walter Younger didn’t want to stop on achieving his dream which was buying a liquor store. He was hurting many people that he loved due to focusing on his dream. His relationship between him and his wife went more downhill which it affected the decision of his wife for wanting to get an abortion since they would never stop arguing. Mama wasn’t having it when Walter said that no one cares about his dream. His relationship with his sister was also affected. They would argue about how their mother should use the money for.