Preview

Character Analysis

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
502 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Character Analysis
Fabian Ramos
Mrs. West
English 10
3-17-11

Character Analysis

The city of Chicago was one of the worst places to be at during the 1960’s. No one had good paying jobs. The town alone was run down on the Southside.

Walter Lee Younger has many personalities that have to do with him being stubborn, easily tempered, and rude. Walter lee younger is stubborn because he likes to get what he wants when it came to the money he kept asking about it. “Well, what was you doing all that yelling for if I can’t get in there yet? Check coming today?” (26).Walter Lee Younger is easily tempered because he gets mad when no one believes in his ideas, so he describes himself “Ma, I’m a volcano. Bitter? Here I am a giant- surrounded by ants! Ants who can’t even understand what it is the giant is talking about.” (85). No matter how hard they try, there are some people who cannot get ahead in life. Walter Lee Younger is a man who is frustrated with his current position in life, and every disappointment he has encountered thus far. Although he tries to be a loving man, sometimes he does not know how to show the idea of love, "Sometimes...sometimes...I don't even know how to try" (89). His position in life can be regarded as symbolic of every black male struggling to provide for his family by any means necessary. Although Walter has a job, it seems inadequate for his survival. As a result, he has become frustrated and lacks good judgement. Throughout this play Walter searches for the key ingredient that will make his life blissful. His frustrations stem from him not being able to act as a man and provide for his family and grasp hold of his ideals to watch them manifest into a positive situation. Walter Lee Younger, a man who is vehement for his family, has many ambitions in life, and dreams of the biggest dreams out of anyone else in the play.

Walter wants the best for his family and he thinks the liquor store will provide him the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the short story “The Threshold” by Amy Frazier, addresses an abusive relation between Ricardo and Vanessa. Alcohol converted the high school sweethearts into enemies. Unfortunately, domestic violence is a common problem in Hispanic families. There are three types of abuse that predominate in this story, physical, verbal, and psychological. Due to Ricardo’s frustration and unsuccessful life, he starts beating Vanessa which is a clear example of physical violence. Although, Ricardo shot her in the middle of the story . The worst physical aggression, it is when Ricardo beats Vanessa while she was pregnant with her second son Thomas, causing the loss of his defenseless baby. This is the most severe type of physical abuse…

    • 338 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Bet Me Character Analysis

    • 848 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Jennifer Cruisie’s book Bet Me is a heterosexual romance novel. The main character’s name is Minerva Dobbs, or Min for short. Min is a heavier set woman, who works as an Actuary, and wants nothing more than to be finished with the dating scene and move in with a cat. Min’s boyfriend, David, along with her mother is constantly advising her on how to lose weight. That was until David broke up with Min in a bar because she would not have sex with him. Min was relieved that her and David were no longer a couple, and realizes that she was never truly interested in him to begin with. Min’s mother constantly body shamed Min throughout her life, and as a result Min was very self-conscious about her body internally. As far as externally, Min pretended…

    • 848 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    "I am ashamed at how much time, resources, money, food, stuff, and energy I have wasted over the years, like storing my personal trash and possessions, as if they were more important than God, my family, and the people around me." ~ Jon Barnes…

    • 298 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Living in the Southside of Chicago, the play follows the Younger family’s daily struggles. The main struggle they go through is the passing of Mama’s husband Walter Senior. Due to his death, they get a $10,000 insurance check, and they decide to buy a house and start Beneatha's dream of becoming a doctor. While also helping out Walter’s dream of owning a successful liquor store. The purpose of the character Walter, is to prove that no matter how old you are, people always struggle with becoming an adult and you are never really fully an adult.…

    • 630 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive (Dalai Lama.) Grant has a battle between love and hate. Having to go back to something that he isn’t, being treated somewhat like a slave, and making the ones around him happy. He must overcome his ego and fight for something he believes in. This is a difficult task because he isn’t completely sure what he believes, or who he is yet. His mission, to affirm that Jefferson is not a hog, but a man, and this milieu, manhood, is not only subversive but also fought over throughout the book A Lesson Before Dying.…

    • 678 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    He is the husband of Ruth, the brother of Beneatha, and the father of Travis Younger. He works as a chauffeur in the city. He dreams of becoming rich and being able to provide for is family, much like the white people he drives around. He wants to gives his family, especially Travis, with the things that he never had as a child. To try and achieve these dreams, he constantly tries and gets into some get rich quick schemes with his friends Bobo and Willy. Walter believes that these dreams are often deferred by his family, and himself. He often believes that his family, especially Ruth, are constantly putting him down and preventing him from elevating himself economically. Walter says in the play “that is just what is wrong with the colored women in this world… Don’t understand about building their men up and making ‘em feel like somebody” (1514). He feels like all women especially black women are always the one that hold their man down from achieving their goals and wants in life. He also blames society for his problems, because he is black. He thinks that since is black that is the reason why he can never get a descent and respectable job in life. The main reason that his dreams are deferred however is he. He constantly puts the blame on his family and society. While some of these reasons are partially true, he uses them more as a crutch and an excuse for not making anything of himself. He doesn’t take responsibility for his own hardships and learn that he has to work hard to be successful in life, which he doesn’t want to do. Walter’s dream is not the most important in this play because he wants to achieve his dreams more so for himself then his family. He wants to make these dreams happen for his own pride and ego, much like…

    • 1063 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Walter has to give up his dream of owning his own liquor store to focus on the more important things in life. In the beginning of the play we learn that walter wants to own his own business and make a lot of money. Walter told his son travis that when he grows up he will have money from his…

    • 552 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    No matter how hard he tries, he just can’t find that key ingredient to a blissful life. He is a frustrated man who seems to make unsought out decisions that seem to impact the family. His short temper seems to get the best of him sometimes. “RUTH: Eat your eggs, Walter. WALTER: (slams the table and jumps up)—DAMN MY EGGS—DAMN ALL THE EGGS THAT EVER WAS!” (Hansberry 34) Ruth had barely said four words to the guy and he just starts going off at her. His short temper will cause tension for the family and their relationship. Walter was well aware of the situation he was put in. Mama encouraged him not to invest in the liquor store no matter what. His ego and attitude got in the way and he lost all of the $6,500 he invested. His ‘I’m right all the time’ attitude made him inconsiderate of his sister and so he spent all of the money on himself. His foolish action made Mama rethink her decision about trusting Walter with the rest of the money. Mama could not believe that her son would do such a thing. Mama has always taught her children to respect one another and be considerate with each other. After Walter made this decision, Mama was very disappointed in him. Walter’s short temper led…

    • 1040 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the novel Schooled by Gordan Korman, Capricorn Anderson’s life has changed for the better. Have you ever heard of a thirteen year old who got arrested two times in less than two months for doing a silly thing like driving, and being underage while doing it? Cap Anderson is a flower child, who lives in Garland Farms with his sixty-seven year old grandmother, Rain, who educates him until she has an accident. Cap is different from other characters because Cap comes from Garland which is a whole different world. In Garland, there is no money, no television and different hobbies from the “real” world. Cap would have never thought he would interact with the world outside of Garland and enjoy it!…

    • 628 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the play, Walter Younger influences the plot. Walter has an immense opinion and most of his actions make up the play. Walter is Mama’s son, Ruth’s husband, and Travis’ dad. When Walter’s mother gets an insurance check for ten thousand dollars, he wants it all to himself to buy a liquor store. When Walter drinks he shouts, rambles on, says things that he…

    • 554 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Raisin in the Sun

    • 607 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Walter is so driven by money, which is the basis of almost every conversation he has with anyone in the play. He is constantly talking about getting to the top, or comparing his situation to that of someone who is more fortunate than he or in other words “the rich man.” For example in Act 2 when he is talking to George, a young man born into a rich family, he says, “Invest big, gamble big hell lose big if you half to, you know what I mean.” Walter is talking to George about the great investments that his father has made. Through this his tone is extremely bitter and sarcastic, this shows his jealousy for those more fortunate than he and it also shows how money is what feeds into his envy and bitterness. Walter has big dreams and good intentions; however his stubbornness holds him back.…

    • 607 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Raisin in the Sun

    • 494 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Walter Younger is the only man in the family, although he doesn't betray to be in the beginning. Walter dreams of owning a liquor store with his good friends. He plans on using his deceased fathers insurance money to accomplish his dream. Walter states to his mother," Do you know what this money means to me? Do you know what this money can do for us? Mama-Mama- I want so many things." Walter is too concerned about the money, he believes that investing in a liquor store will open a passage of opportunity. He isn't even well knowledge in investing into a store. Towards the ending of the storing Walter begins to become a man. He stands up for his family pride. He tells his son, " Just tell me where you want to go to school and you'll go. Just tell me what it is you want to be and you'll be it..Whatever you want to be-Yessir!…

    • 494 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    As he commits acts of crime and violence, the audience is willing to continue to support Walter and his actions because he truly believes that he is doing it for his family. White is even able to convinces viewers to believe the same thing. Gradually, White shifts from protagonist to antagonist in the story as he rises to power within the influential drug trafficking community of criminals. While Walter claims his family drives him towards his life of crime, it becomes clear that his ego and greed are the current focus. Even though Walter clearly has enough money for his family, he continues to produce and sell his blue meth in the pursuit of an ever-growing fortune. Scott Meslow points this out in his article: “But Walter’s interest in money isn’t about actual value anymore; it’s the validation that the money represents” (Meslow). As Walter, the underdog, rises to power, his ego begins to grow and consume his conscience. His morality and judgment begin to fade away as his lust for power takes over. For example, a bit of conversation that takes place between Walter and Skyler in season 5 demonstrates evidence that White has become enamored by his own power: "You clearly don't know who you're talking to, so let me clue you in: I am not in danger, Skyler. I am the danger. A guy opens his door and gets shot, and you think that of me? No! I am the one who…

    • 965 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Raisin In The Sun Setting

    • 668 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Walter is one of the characters who has impacted the play. He is the only man in the house other than him which means he is like a father figure and feels like he is in charge. Walter has pressure on him but feels like no one understands…

    • 668 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the beginning of the play he is mean and negative toward everyone in his family. He has a broken relationship with his wife Ruth, his mother Lena, and his sister Beneatha. The only person he really gets along with is his son Travis, and that’s because Walter gives him whatever he wants. Even if it means undermining his mother to make him seem like the good guy. Walter is so frustrated with the way that his life turned out that he remains miserable and takes it out on everyone around…

    • 803 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics