A Raisin in the Sun

A detailed Summary of A Raisin in the Sun


Walter is frustrated with his current position in life, and every disappointment he has encountered thus far. His position is symbolic of every black male struggling to provide for his family by any means necessary. Hansberry stated in her meeting with Robert Kennedy..."the first thing that must be achieved is equal opportunities for Negroes...when unemployment is six percent nationally it is as high as thirty percent among Negroes. Although Walter has a job, it seems inadequate for his survival. As a result, he has become frustrated and lacks good judgement. 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 wants the best for his family and he thinks the liquor store will provide him the financial security needed to boost them out of poverty. "I'm thirty five years old; I've been married eleven years and I got a boy who sleeps in living room (Hansberry 34). best describes the sympathy and compassion Walter feels for his son. Although his family's financial position is strained, Walter doesn't want his son to see him struggle. Children are very impressionable. Walter displays an unselfish characteris


tic that is overshadowed by unwise decisions later in the play. In one particular scene, his son Travis asked both parents for money. Walter acts out of pride and little motivation by giving Travis his last pocket change. This symbolizes Walter's willingness to be a good father. In a different situation, Walter wouldn't display his selfish intentions. This behavior can be attributed to working in a degrading, underpaid position and not seeing results. The overcrowded living conditions and lack of privacy in the ghetto help make people who live there as 'tired' as their furnishings(Carter 45). Metaphorically speaking, Walter is like the furniture in the small apartment, 'tired and broken in spirit'. Every black male's plight in America is to be regarded as a provider for his family. However, society doesn't afford black males the benefit of feeling secure about providing for their families. It's easy to criticize society and place the blame on America for not affording Walter the opportunities of his white counterparts. The fact is, he does not seem to have control over his own responsibilities. Therefore, if he was given all the resources needed to provide his family his poor judgement and lack of business sense would create further stress on the family. His wife, Ruth, Mama, and his sister Beanetha attack him from every angle about h

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Approximate Word count = 904
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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