A Raisin in the Sun: Walter's Character Analysis
A Raisin in the Sun
Final Essay
April 22, 2013
Honors English 9B
When feeling hopeless, one may lose sight of their traditional values and chase flawed or unrealistic dreams. In the play, A Raisin in the Sun, author Lorraine Hansberry, uses character Walter Lee Younger to demonstrate a misguided, materialistic alteration of the traditional American Dream. Walter Lee, in a misguided vision of money as the answer to all of life’s tests, forgets traditional family values and instead chases only materialistic aspirations. This harms and ultimately separates his family. His materialistic pursuit stems from the guilt he feels in his inability to support his family, his awareness of and yearning for American opportunity and his misconceived notion of what it means to be a man. Walter pursues a flawed and materialistic dream because he feels humiliated and subsequently guilty, in his inability to provide for his family. He views the misery of his family as his fault, and money as their sole solution. His lingering feeling of inadequacy haunts him and he develops an obsession with money, thinking of “money [as] life.” (74) He wants to be a good role model for his son Travis, and make sure that Travis has a good life. For example, when Travis needs money for school, his wife, Ruth, says that they don’t have the money to spare, and doesn’t give it to him. However, Walter decides to give him the money anyway. “Here, son…In fact here’s another fifty cents…Buy yourself some fruit today- or take a taxicab to school or something!” (31). He foolishly gives Travis extra money, despite the fact that they can’t afford to. This demonstrates his eagerness to give his family a comfortable life, without a realistic understanding of what they are financially capable. As a chauffeur to a wealthy business man, Walter Lee has a greater awareness of opportunity in the world. He is infatuated with the idea of having success and wealth, to the point where it takes priority over
Final Essay
April 22, 2013
Honors English 9B
When feeling hopeless, one may lose sight of their traditional values and chase flawed or unrealistic dreams. In the play, A Raisin in the Sun, author Lorraine Hansberry, uses character Walter Lee Younger to demonstrate a misguided, materialistic alteration of the traditional American Dream. Walter Lee, in a misguided vision of money as the answer to all of life’s tests, forgets traditional family values and instead chases only materialistic aspirations. This harms and ultimately separates his family. His materialistic pursuit stems from the guilt he feels in his inability to support his family, his awareness of and yearning for American opportunity and his misconceived notion of what it means to be a man. Walter pursues a flawed and materialistic dream because he feels humiliated and subsequently guilty, in his inability to provide for his family. He views the misery of his family as his fault, and money as their sole solution. His lingering feeling of inadequacy haunts him and he develops an obsession with money, thinking of “money [as] life.” (74) He wants to be a good role model for his son Travis, and make sure that Travis has a good life. For example, when Travis needs money for school, his wife, Ruth, says that they don’t have the money to spare, and doesn’t give it to him. However, Walter decides to give him the money anyway. “Here, son…In fact here’s another fifty cents…Buy yourself some fruit today- or take a taxicab to school or something!” (31). He foolishly gives Travis extra money, despite the fact that they can’t afford to. This demonstrates his eagerness to give his family a comfortable life, without a realistic understanding of what they are financially capable. As a chauffeur to a wealthy business man, Walter Lee has a greater awareness of opportunity in the world. He is infatuated with the idea of having success and wealth, to the point where it takes priority over