A Dream In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

Some people have the opportunity and easier access to make the American dream a reality, for others it remains just a dream. A dream that is deferred by many obstacles and such. Larry Hughes poem, a dream deferred describes this situation. In Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun, the Younger family each have dreams that they want to fulfill but is disrupted because of family selfishness and family issues. Each character had different dreams of their own. Big Walter, Walter Lee, and Mama Younger and the effects of their dreams on the family’s morale. Hughes uses a metaphor of a raisin to describe neglected hopes and dreams, which in turn is reflected in Hansberry’s exanple of the Younger family and their greed to fulfill the American
Seeing these symbols of others’ successes (dreams that have actually been fulfilled) causes Walter to think about his dream and the opportunity he passed up long ago when Charlie Atkins had wanted him to “go in the dry cleaning business” (1.1.32). Passing by all of these successful dreams fills Walter with regret and yet motivates him to do whatever it takes to achieve his goal. He wants his son Travis to share the happiness of the new hope in the new dreams. Walter Lee makes promises to Travis of “Cadillac convertibles” and any of the “great schools in America…in the world,” anywhere Travis could possibly want to go
They strive for more than they have because they know they deserve it and have earned it. They do not settle for less. To prove that she still can take care of her husband, Ruth uses food, offering him coffee and milk. In contrast, Walter Lee refuses her offers in order to show his independence and strength. Just like in the poem’s line describing a dream that “Like a heavy load,” Mama Younger feels that she has fallen short in taking care of her family (especially Walter Lee) and this weighs on her. She sags under the pain, wishing she could have done more for them all. By purchasing the home in Clybourne Park, Mama feels she will relieve the pressure in the same way she is making her plant healthier as well. The final line of Hughes’ poem speaks for itself. It reads simply: “Or does it explode?” This image brings forth ideas of people’s deferred dreams being so long bottled up that given the slightest opportunity; those dreams will explode and destroy anything and everything around them. In attempting to fulfill his dreams, Walter Lee ruins not only his own chances, but also the dreams of his mother, Beneatha, Ruth, and by default, his dreams for his son’s future. Walter’s ultimate “explosion” comes when he realizes all of the money is gone, recognizing the gravity of what he has done, and he exclaims,