Theme of Dreams in A Raisin in the Sun Literary Analysis Essay Sample

How would it feel to be obsessed with a dream that doesn’t work out in the end, and later on negatively impacts those around you? This is what the Younger family went through and  in due time overcame. In A Raisin in the Sun, belonging to Lorraine Hansberry, the focus is on an African American family who repeatedly face hardships in order to achieve their varying lifelong dreams to obtain a better future. And although these dreams do come true for some, the struggle is shown more in Walter, the only man of the house. His desire is to acquire his dream job to financially improve the lives of his family, but the idea isn’t very appealing to them, and he soon begins to prioritize it more than them. In the play, Walter demonstrates that focusing too much on dreams can make one careless toward their family; however, when family proves to stay by one's side through difficult times, one may realize that family is of higher value.

After having told his family about his idea to invest in a liquor store but getting constantly rejected, Walter began showing a neglectful attitude towards them. Walter’s mother receives a check for 10,000 dollars, which is the insurance money left from her husband left when he passed away, and he sees the money as his only hope to make his dream come true. For that reason, he gets upset when his mother does not provide for him, or even supports him in the slightest. This brings up several arguments between the members, including his wife, Ruth. She tries her best to serve her role as a wife by loving him and offering everything she can, but because she is contributing to the downfall of his dream, she was cruelly rejected to accompany him outside their house.  Mama asks what is wrong with Walter, but he tells her that “ain’t nothing the matter with [him]!” (Hansberry 66). Walter, putting emphasis that nothing is wrong with “[him]” implies that he sees it is his family’s fault that he cannot achieve his dream, and that they are the obstacles that prevent him from developing a good future. He sees them as small minded individuals, and thinks he can not make them understand. As he puts his dream first before his family, he also only thinks about himself, seeing himself in the right and not caring if he hurts them. He desperately wants to leave the house in order to find peace, specifically without his wife, but Mama tells him not to commit the mistake of driving Ruth away from him. In response, he asks “Why-what she do for [him]?” (Hansberry 67), refusing to take any of the advice his mother gives him. Asking “Why?” demonstrates that he doesn’t value his relationship with his wife, and regardless of everything she’s done for him he feels alone in this situation, and does not worry about losing Ruth. He continues with “what she do for me?,” As if further suggesting Ruth has never stuck by his side and helped him through anything, and once again emphasizing that he overlooks their relationship. Later that evening, Mama comes home and tells everyone that she has bought a new house. Instantly, Walter puts on a negative attitude, following with him attempting to hurt her by saying that “[she] butchered up a dream of [his]—[her]—who always talking ’bout [her] children’s dreams...” (Hansberry 87) Although the money truly belongs to Mama, and she can choose what to do with it, he still wants the money for his investment. He is excusing himself that it is his dream and she is contradicting herself by not giving it, since she is “always talking ‘bout [her] children’s dreams”. He tries to portray her as a selfish person,  when he is the greedy one and continues to disrespect his loved ones. Due to Walter being absorbed in his dream and seeing the insurance money as his only way but never getting it, it conflicts his relationship with his family as his carelessness hurts them.  

Once Walter loses the remaining insurance money, it affects each member differently but they learn that loving is most important when a person is at their worst, and stay by his side until he makes things right. When he told his family what had happened, his mother reacted with immense distress, and his sister would insult him multiple times when she saw him. However, Mama reminds her daughter that “There is always something left to love. And if [she] ain’t learned that, [she] ain’t learned nothing.” (Hansberry 130). Mama may have gotten hysterical the moment she realized the money that came from her hardworking husband was given away, and yet she never stops loving Walter. By saying “there is always something left to love” she knows Walter made a mistake, but is also aware of all the challenges that he's gone through in an effort to make life better for them. Walter then tells them he will accept a businessman’s offer, not moving into the house Mama bought in exchange for a large sum of money, but actually does the opposite. When the man arrives, he at last tells them that “[they] come from people who had alot of pride. [he means]—[they] are very proud people.” (Hansberry 132.) Although he couldn’t support them in the way he intended to, he proved their worth in a tough situation, and thought about them first rather than the money. Correcting himself, saying “[they] are very proud people,” he is acknowledging the hard work his father has done in the past in order for the generation to move forward, but is also considering everything his family has done. Despite all the cruel words and hard moments, this successful dream of buying a house united the family. At the beginning, Walter prioritized his dream rather than his family, but eventually his family all stood by his side and were proud of him afterwards.

Overall, Walter shows that centering one’s life around dreams can lead to inconsideration for family, but sooner or later one may understand that family is of more importance as they will be there to support one another through difficult times. Dreams can be for the benefit of those around us, but taking our focus off those we love can hurt them, even if we have good intentions in mind. And if we do hurt them, we can always make up for our mistakes and they will be there for you, no matter what.