The Younger’s family has just received a $10,000 dollar check for their dead father’s life insurance policy. They live in a two bedroom apartment on the black side of town in Chicago. Racial prejudices against blacks in that era and a low income are the root of conflict in the family.

For the present, the Youngers have proven that in unity lies strength. The feminist theme is enhanced by the portrayal of the two other women in the play. Lena Younger is the epitome of the self-reliant woman, having worked side by side with her husband to provide for the family and continuing to be its stabilizing force. Ruth, on the other hand, seems to hold fairly traditional ideas about motherhood, but she finds herself, without the counsel of her husband, considering abortion as an alternative to bringing another child into the world.

According to Scholar Claudia, Lena’s disregard to herself is fashioned by gender conditioning which affirms that the needs of a woman ought to be connected to the family alone . She puts up with her husband’s immoral behavior under poor conditions and struggles to support him. This clearly portrays a conflict between men and women regarding their positions in the society.

Raisin In The Sun A Dream Deferred

Her dream is much different from Walter’s selfish dream because money, power, and success was the main motivator for his, but her dream was selfless and only seen as a way to help more people and to do more good in the world. The dream that Walter is pursuing interferes with his sister’s dream, which causes her to become bitter when her dreams are crushed after he loses the money. In the beginning of act three, scene one, Beneatha tells Asagai how her brother had lost the money and her dreams of becoming a doctor, the cure, used to matter to her but now she has stopped caring. When he tells his son of this “transaction”, he treats it as a solution to everything and a way out of poverty for his family. He completely ignores the steps or risks involved in this transaction, and he believes that all it takes is an investment to be successful. When he tell’s his son “In fact, here’s another fifty cents” he’s not handing over more money because he feels that his son needs it, but he’s doing it to make an example out of it and to show his wife and son who the bread winner is.

Her achievement with the plant helps her believe that she would be a great gardener. Characteristics that these themes of nature bring about in mama is her persistence and dedication as a person, not only to the plants but to her children and herself- she wants her dream to come true. Lastly, in the novel American Born Chinese JIn Wang changes from being seen as a stereotypical Chinese kid to being an american little boy. Chasing your dreams was another common theme between the three stories.

Critical Essays

Hansberry conveys the message of oppression through the symbolic use of the setting being limited to the Younger’s living room. The play begins with a physical description of the Younger’s living conditions, making specific references to the poor condition of the furniture. Hansberry successful creates an image of poverty as well as creating a symbol of lost hope.

• Walter’s reaction towards Ruth is to portray a dominant and breadwinning role in the family, so while he hands over the money to his son he stares at his wife to make an impression on them.
• This intriguing production features fictional, intimate discussions between 4 of the most renowned women in jazz and h. p. lovecraft influenced by blues history – Josephine Baker, Billie Holiday, Ethel Waters and Bessie Smith.
• All seek, I believe, to become better people, even if only simply through relaxation.
• As Walter points, it has always been about money and this telling remark represents how this play tries to demonstrate that poverty both justifies and creates inequalities.
• The covenant was enforced, the Hansberry family was evicted and Carl Hansberry sued.

It’s a dream of every modern woman, who doesn’t want just to stay at home, do housework and baby sit the children; they want to study high, to work outside so that they can support out their selves and be independence. Since the 1930’s, the idea that a family, a home, opportunity, money and security being available to everyone in the US has been the “American Dream.” Unfortunately, in reality this dream isn’t really available to everyone, not then and not now. By disregarding her sister’s uninterest in George, Ruth believes that wealth presides over Beneatha’s dignity and love. This theme also presents itself in Act II with the appearance of Mr. Lindner. With the newly arrived check, the Younger family became ecstatic with the knowledge that their lives would change for the better. By leaving their dingy apartment, the Younger family would be able to escape poverty and create a new life.

This causes the Youngers to become closer and move in to the new house. When the inheritance arrives walter is has a nervous breakdown and leaves the house for a week or so and mama goes looking for him. Mama doesn’t like seeing her son sad so she eventually ends up giving walter half the money saying to put two thousand in a bank account for bennie his younger sisters schooling and to keep the rest for himself. The money that mama gave walter never gets put into a bank account and ends up getting stolen by his friend Willy Harris.Walter never gets to accomplish his dream of having a liquor store.