Preview

A Raisin In The Sun Black American Dream

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1075 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
A Raisin In The Sun Black American Dream
The American Dream is the idea that Americans work really hard to achieve their values and goals and is very satisfied with their financial and social situation. It pertains only to the Whites because they receive more prominence, money, and education compared to the Blacks. The Blacks wanting to achieve the American Dream starts with them migrating up North, leaving behind their plantation field in the South, which is the first act of Black Power, or self-determination. But when Blacks attempt to achieve the American Dream, they are often pushed back, an idea where White supremacy, stereotype, and greed stand in the way of Blacks ever reaching their full potential. This is seen through the play, A Raisin in the Sun, when the Younger family …show more content…
It dates back to when Blacks were forbidden to own land or property, until the late 19th century, when Abraham Lincoln passed the Emancipation Proclamation which gave Blacks their freedom and right to home ownership. The idea of the Younger family wanting to own a home starts when Mama, being the head of the household, dreams of owning a bigger home where she has her own garden, her grandson, Travis, having a bigger yard to play in, and where each family member can live in comfort. “She crosses through the room, goes to the window, opens it, and brings in a feeble little plant growing doggedly in a small pot on the window sill…We was going to set away…You know all the dreams I had ‘bout buying that house and fixing it up and making me a little garden in the back—And didn’t none of it happen’” (Hansberry). Mama speaks to Ruth about her ideal home. Owning a home is part of Mama’s and Big Walter’s dream until he passed away. However, Mama keeps a small plant by the window as a reminder that her dream in owning a home will one day grow into reality. Mama’s dream in owning a place relates to Lutie’s dream, from the Street. “Chandler’s home was covered wall to wall…the rest of the house was just as perfect” (Petry 38-39). Lutie use to work for the Chandler as a maid and sees their home as her own dream home one day, because their home has no cracks on the wall and is well decorated. Owning a home is part of …show more content…
Some have to go through White supremacy, with the judgment that Blacks are stereotypically seen as a disturbance to the Whites, while some are just not welcomed in general. While the Younger family is preparing to move into their new home in Clybourne Park, after Mama puts a down payment on it, one of the Welcome Committee, Mr. Lindner, comes by to speak with them. “Anybody can see that you are a nice family of folks, hardworking and honest I’m sure…people can get awfully worked up when they feel that their whole way of life and everything they’ve ever worked for is threatened” (Hansberry, 117). Mr. Lindner is saying that the Younger family does not belong in the White’s neighborhood. He is a Welcome Committee but, ironically, he is not welcoming them into the new neighborhood because of racism. It analytically relates to why Blacks moving into the first-tier suburbs is a way of Whites thinking not only will it be a disturbance, but their home values are going to fail. If Blacks can financially afford to buy a home in a White neighborhood, the Whites may think that their wealth and home is invaluable. But, not all Blacks can financially afford to buy a home in a White neighborhood just like Lutie, who decides to settle for a cheaper apartment in Harlem. However, Blacks moving into an all-Black neighborhood does not necessarily mean that they are also welcomed. “There was a cold November

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Since the foundation of the United States of America it has always be portrayed as the land of endless opportunities in which its people can do freely what they desire. This is also known as the American Dream, which is set of ideals in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, achieved through hard work. However, can prosperity and success be achieved by everyone or do certain ethnic groups have discriminatory barriers limiting their success? In the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry it becomes painfully clear that African Americans have to deal with racial prejudices complicating the completion of their desired dreams of a better prosperous future. Even though, the diverse…

    • 1282 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or the class they were born into can attain their own version of success in a society where there is equal opportunities for everyone. The American dream is not achieved by being lazy or by chance but rather through sacrifice, risk-taking and hard work. Both native-born Americans and American immigrants who work hard can achieve the American dream.…

    • 1106 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    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…

    • 1179 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Dream is the dream of many people living and immigrating to America. Everyone has his or her own personal dream, but not everyone can attain the American Dream. There are a lot of different reasons as to why the dream cannot be attained. An example of this is can be found in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. George, Lennie, and Candy have obstacles in their way that was keeping them from attaining the American Dream.…

    • 733 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The world we live in today demands tangible outputs from each of us that result from skill and perseverance. Hence, success in life becomes an utmost concern. Success usually cloaks in the form of financial prosperity—the more material wealth one has, the more successful society considers him or her to be. This notion of success is what the "American Dream" stands for and this is a salient implication in the play's plot.…

    • 980 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To start off, what exactly is the American dream? There are many interpretations of what people believe it is, for the most…

    • 883 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American Dream is a concept that can be traced to the founding fathers of America, which entails ideals such as democracy, equality, freedom, liberty, human rights and opportunity for all to live a better and prosperous life. These ideals are achieved through hard work in an environment that has no barriers and offers equal opportunities for all. The coming of the American Dream came with the declaration of independence from England. People were filled with hope as they believed in the right to freedom, life and pursuing happiness. The idea was the creation of a nation in which people would be free from restrictions to pursue the life they want for themselves. This definition of the American Dream has changed over the course of time as people started deviating from the ideals of liberty, rights, and hard work. Hard work is now just caused by wanting to make the most money and wanting to have power and control.…

    • 524 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    According to the author, the American Dream is the ability to be able to live a life that you are capable of living; a life that allows you to reach your full potential regardless of who you are or where you come from. The author states this in paragraph one, when he says: “. . .in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”(214-215). He believes that everyone should have a chance to be who and what they want to be and that everyone has a certain right to achieve it.…

    • 504 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “A Raisin in the Sun,” a story based in the 50’s, portrays an African American family’s struggles with the barbarous and unaccepting culture at the time. The story takes off when the family, the Younger’s, revive a substantial check due to the passing of Mr. Younger. Travis’s parents and Grandma then undergo tough decisions and come face to face with conflict about how to invest and utilize their new fortune. All the possible ideas that they come up with all have the overall goal of providing Travis, their beloved little boy, with a bright and prosperous future filled with opportunity. In conclusion, Travis Younger’s seemingly small role within Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” is actually deceiving as he is truly the catalyst…

    • 137 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The “American Dream” has always existed as a primary fundamental of American culture. The idea of the “American Dream” is that every US citizen has the right to receive equal opportunity to attain success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative because it is an equal opportunity offered for everyone, personal to each individual, and extremely rewarding. The pursuit of the American Dream is chased after by many individuals from numerous diverse backgrounds. Thomas Wolfe once said, "…to every man, regardless of his birth, his shining, golden opportunity ….the right to live, to work, to be himself, and to become whatever thing his manhood and his vision can combine to make him." (Wolfe)…

    • 852 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The origin of The American Dream began with the poor immigrants looking for opportunities. The Declaration of independence states “all man are created equal and that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights among which are life, liberty and persuit of happines.”(The Declaration of Independence). The American Dream is different for every individual you come across. To some people it means financial success, to other people it means freedom of expression, while other people want to practice their religion without fear. The American Dream is a complex concept providing immigrants with hope of better life.…

    • 419 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The United States of America is seen as the ideal country to achieve success by accomplishing your dream, which is referred to as the American Dream. The American Dream is a dream that most people have when arriving to America. Many people may see this dream as becoming financially stable or earning a good education. The way a person lives their life is what affects the result of your dream. This means that the qualities you have in your life are what allows you to achieve your dream or let it become a failure. Both the novel, “The Great Gatsby”, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and the play, “A Raisin in the Sun”, written by Loraine Hansberry, portray the theme of the American Dream. In both the novel and the play, it shows how Jay Gatsby…

    • 191 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The American Dream

    • 3111 Words
    • 13 Pages

    To achieve higher expectations of success than the previous generations, and accomplishing what hasn't already been accomplished, can be considered the overall American Dream. Generally, every child wants to surpass the achievements of their parents as a natural act of competition and personal satisfaction. Throughout The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, and Death of a Salesman, there is a constant yearning desire to achieve the “American Dream;” whether it be reality or illusion. Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, and Miller, all portray the ideas of the American Dream relating to the time period that they are referring to. The strive to achieve a goal whether it be to be the wealthiest or achieve a great life by hard work seems to be the template for the original American dream in the books. To be able to support one’s family, have a decent job, a car, and a home, is the stereotypical, “American dream.” Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, and Miller incorporate their ideas of the American dream symbolically throughout their stories.…

    • 3111 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    I disagree with your statement that American Dream is that “everyone wishes would come true”. On the contrary, the American Dream emphasizes that everyone’s dream can only be achieved through hard work, and only through hard work, not through superiority of social classes, or through considerable possession of wealth. Under the premise of the American Dream, no one’s dream can be readily accomplished without persistency and strong willingness for the achievement. For example, in The Crucible, the Joads understands the notion of the American Dream as “I wonder- that is, if we all gets jobs an’ all work- maybe we can get one of them little white houses” (Steinback 68). Although they desire the harmony and the pleasant environment, they know…

    • 160 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    As James Truslow Adams states in his book The Epic of America which was written in 1931: "The American Dream is "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position." For some people, it is the opportunity to achieve greater material prosperity than was possible in their countries of origin. For others it is the opportunity for their children to grow up and receive an education and its consequent career opportunities. It is the opportunity to make individual choices without the restrictions of class, caste, religion, race, or ethnic group. For others in this the dream of choice and flexibility, that is the ability to wake up in the morning and decide to drive, cycle or take public transportation to work.…

    • 549 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays