Dissapointments in Mama & Walter Lee (A Raisin in the Sun)
“Life often builds people up only to let them down. By referring to two characters, show how Hansberry brings out the truth of this statement in the Raisin in the Sun. Which character do you feel deals with disappointment more effectively.”
In the play “A Raisin in the Sun”, there are two specific characters that are often built up only to be let down, Lena Eggleston Younger and Walter Lee Younger. Deferral seems to be an evolving constant in this family. Before even being introduced to a play, a tone of disappointment is set by the poem “Harlem”. Something shared in common amongst these two characters are that they both watched the dying of the collective aspirations. For these two characters, life seems syrupy sweet only to let them down. Together, they both battle disappointments which have been handed down by the previous five generations. Like before generations, everyone in the house is a laborer. This is something that brings self-torture to Walter being a laborer, and Mama, watching both her husband and her son work themselves until the death of them. Walter base of his disappointments of his dream starts at his son Travis. Whenever speaking about his dream, he mentions his son. On page 120, when Mama claims that Walter stepped into his manhood, he explained to Lindner that he has a son and pulled him closer and that he and his father were laborers all their lives and he wants better for his son. Walter Lee’s dream is to get out of his social deadlock and be successful. He is a person of such big dreams and aspirations but so limited resources. His dreams are stated from as early as page. 14 in act one, he wants to invest is late father’s insurance money on a liquor store with two business partners, Willy Harris and Bobo. Deeply, Walter’s dream isn’t to be a liquor owner, but he aspires to be the owner of something. Be the first in his family to be the employer rather than the employee. The deepest part of Walter’s desire is to provide for
In the play “A Raisin in the Sun”, there are two specific characters that are often built up only to be let down, Lena Eggleston Younger and Walter Lee Younger. Deferral seems to be an evolving constant in this family. Before even being introduced to a play, a tone of disappointment is set by the poem “Harlem”. Something shared in common amongst these two characters are that they both watched the dying of the collective aspirations. For these two characters, life seems syrupy sweet only to let them down. Together, they both battle disappointments which have been handed down by the previous five generations. Like before generations, everyone in the house is a laborer. This is something that brings self-torture to Walter being a laborer, and Mama, watching both her husband and her son work themselves until the death of them. Walter base of his disappointments of his dream starts at his son Travis. Whenever speaking about his dream, he mentions his son. On page 120, when Mama claims that Walter stepped into his manhood, he explained to Lindner that he has a son and pulled him closer and that he and his father were laborers all their lives and he wants better for his son. Walter Lee’s dream is to get out of his social deadlock and be successful. He is a person of such big dreams and aspirations but so limited resources. His dreams are stated from as early as page. 14 in act one, he wants to invest is late father’s insurance money on a liquor store with two business partners, Willy Harris and Bobo. Deeply, Walter’s dream isn’t to be a liquor owner, but he aspires to be the owner of something. Be the first in his family to be the employer rather than the employee. The deepest part of Walter’s desire is to provide for