Walter Younger In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun
Lorraine Hansberry, in her novel A Raisin in The Sun powerfully conveys the dream of her character, Walter Younger. Presented by having him explicitly ask for help to complete his dream, by having Walter reach his dream then fail, then by having those dreams change and become something new. Transforming from a man wanting to purchase a liquor store with the money from his father's death just so he can become more wealthy, to wanting to support his family in their act of moving to a white neighborhood, makes Walter a more well rounded character who cares for his family. This shows how Walter truly feels about his family because he only runs to help them after he has lost it all, he just wanted their money. However, he later wanted their trust back so he could more help them in life. Walter is forced to beg his mother for the money to open the liquor store because he knows that there is no other way that She, Lena Younger, will
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give him the money. He would have prefered the ten thousand dollars. Instead he only got three thousand five hundred to help provide for the purchase for the liquor store he would open with his friend. “The rest you put in a checking account – with your name on it”(545). He tried so hard to get the money, but in the end he only got just barely enough to start his dream with his best friend Willy Harris. This is powerfully conveyed because of the trauma that Walter goes through. Walter had just realized that his dream had left him forever and he would not be able to achieve it any further in his life. A dream ruined can destroy a person's life if they truly devote themselves to it. Mama did not condone Walter opening a liquor store, knowing that only bad would come from it, “And there ain’t going to be no investing in no liquor stores”(520), but Mama allows Walter to be his own man. She wants him to be more free and independant so she gives him the money and lets him follow his dream, even though it would not turn well for him or his family. Walter truly believed that he had achieved the American dream, being able to go and do as he wishes in life. However, this is not the circumstance as he would soon realize. Walter soon realizes that he will not be able to provide for his wife and son because of the deceptive trick that Willy had planned for him. Unbeknownst to Walter, Willy took his money and left. Walter was left with nothing left, nothing to provide, and a lack of a dream to reach for. “I’m sorry, Walter….I had my life staked on this deal, too…”(183). Walter has no clue what to do, as he had never been torn apart like this before, he felt exposed. He was no longer the macho man that he once was, able to provide for his family and give his son what he wanted. Without the money, he would not be able to fulfill his own dreams along with the dreams of his family, or provide for his family.
Now that Walter has nothing left of his own dreams he feels the need to fulfill the dreams of his family and help them with what they want to get in life.
Even though Walter almost sold the house, he still changed to fulfill their dreams because it's what he wanted to do and what was right. Walter wants to help his family move into the white neighborhood that they planned to move into before Walter wanted to go and take some money. Walter is cheerful and joyful throughout the rest of the novel because he finally realizes that he does not need to fulfill his own dreams to make himself and his family happy. “WALTER enters with a large package. His happiness deep is in him; he cannot keep still with his new-found exuberance”(549). Walter’s dream is complete when he achieves complete happiness. Him dancing with Ruth broke a wall that would change his life from being selfish to being a family man for the rest of the story. The joy he brought to the house by helping them move allowed everyone to be happier and just make it easier to
collaborate. Hansberry’s methods of powerfully conveying Walter’s dreams create an exciting story that brings the reader in to see what happens next. The way that Hansberry has Walter practically beg for the money as his only way of getting it, then getting scammed by his best and nearly only friend, then having him completely change when he loses it all and giving him the motivation to help his family and become a better person. Walter shows that he can be a dynamic character throughout the story by this interesting change from selfish to selfless in every way.
give him the money. He would have prefered the ten thousand dollars. Instead he only got three thousand five hundred to help provide for the purchase for the liquor store he would open with his friend. “The rest you put in a checking account – with your name on it”(545). He tried so hard to get the money, but in the end he only got just barely enough to start his dream with his best friend Willy Harris. This is powerfully conveyed because of the trauma that Walter goes through. Walter had just realized that his dream had left him forever and he would not be able to achieve it any further in his life. A dream ruined can destroy a person's life if they truly devote themselves to it. Mama did not condone Walter opening a liquor store, knowing that only bad would come from it, “And there ain’t going to be no investing in no liquor stores”(520), but Mama allows Walter to be his own man. She wants him to be more free and independant so she gives him the money and lets him follow his dream, even though it would not turn well for him or his family. Walter truly believed that he had achieved the American dream, being able to go and do as he wishes in life. However, this is not the circumstance as he would soon realize. Walter soon realizes that he will not be able to provide for his wife and son because of the deceptive trick that Willy had planned for him. Unbeknownst to Walter, Willy took his money and left. Walter was left with nothing left, nothing to provide, and a lack of a dream to reach for. “I’m sorry, Walter….I had my life staked on this deal, too…”(183). Walter has no clue what to do, as he had never been torn apart like this before, he felt exposed. He was no longer the macho man that he once was, able to provide for his family and give his son what he wanted. Without the money, he would not be able to fulfill his own dreams along with the dreams of his family, or provide for his family.
Now that Walter has nothing left of his own dreams he feels the need to fulfill the dreams of his family and help them with what they want to get in life.
Even though Walter almost sold the house, he still changed to fulfill their dreams because it's what he wanted to do and what was right. Walter wants to help his family move into the white neighborhood that they planned to move into before Walter wanted to go and take some money. Walter is cheerful and joyful throughout the rest of the novel because he finally realizes that he does not need to fulfill his own dreams to make himself and his family happy. “WALTER enters with a large package. His happiness deep is in him; he cannot keep still with his new-found exuberance”(549). Walter’s dream is complete when he achieves complete happiness. Him dancing with Ruth broke a wall that would change his life from being selfish to being a family man for the rest of the story. The joy he brought to the house by helping them move allowed everyone to be happier and just make it easier to
collaborate. Hansberry’s methods of powerfully conveying Walter’s dreams create an exciting story that brings the reader in to see what happens next. The way that Hansberry has Walter practically beg for the money as his only way of getting it, then getting scammed by his best and nearly only friend, then having him completely change when he loses it all and giving him the motivation to help his family and become a better person. Walter shows that he can be a dynamic character throughout the story by this interesting change from selfish to selfless in every way.