Dreams are the fulfilments of a wish that people have based on real-life experience and their connections to unconscious desires. Literature has been used to expound on having a dream, with various authors and poets writing books and poems highlighting the issue. In the poem ‘Harlem,’ the persona asks the readers questions about a delayed vision. The speaker outlines four possible outcomes of having a deferred dream. In the play A Raisin in the Sun, the playwriter uses art to fictionalize encounters of a delayed dream by a family; it is a supposition of the poem by Hughes. Characters in the play struggle to deal with the demanding events that rule their life. The play examines the effects of racial prejudice on the attainment of a dream in an African-American family. A universal message of the craving for social progression amid the differing opinions on attaining it is portrayed. The characters in the play A Raisin in the Sun have varying dreams that are unrelated, each facing complications in its realization.
In A Raisin in the Sun, all five characters Ruth, Lena, Travis, Beneatha, and Walter, have personal dreams they yearn to achieve. Each of them deals with different happenings in their life that put their aspirations on hold, with lack of funds being the main factor impeding the realization of their dreams. Lena looks forward to buying a house for her family and herself (Hanseberry and Nemirof 530). Walter Younger dreamed of being a business owner; however, he could not attain it and had to hope that his children would be able to achieve theirs (Hanseberry and Nemirof 534). Beneatha Younger had ambitions of becoming a doctor, which his brother Walter saw as far-fetched (Hanseberry and Nemirof 577). The two had dreams that got jeopardized due to Walter’s foolish business dealings with Willy Harris. Ruth desires to move into a big house in a better neighbourhood (Hanseberry and Nemirof 560). Lena laments about their life; to her, God decided to give the black man nothing but just dreams (Hanseberry and Nemirof 540). She has goals for herself and her children, as she wants them to succeed. Being the younger, Travis has no clear ambitions; his vision is made up of the thoughts of those around him.
The author of A Raisin in the Sun approves of Lena’s dream of moving into a better and greater house. Lena had always had the ambition to maintain her family with dignity; this made her focus on fulfilling her goal. She kept her family’s needs first and constantly worked hard, ensuring they did not suffer. Approval of the dream can be seen as her wish being the only one fulfilled among all the family members. Lena Younger and her husband had imparted the fantasy of moving into a bigger and better house; at last, the dream had been attained, although the husband was not around to witness it. Mama finally bought a home in a white neighbourhood, reassuring her of the family’s safety and peace (Hanseberry and Nemirof 582). She also wanted to preserve the memory of her husband, who had dreams and always worked hard, putting the family’s needs first. Together they were unable to put in enough money to fulfil the wish. The desire to move into a good house was not to profit her alone but the entire family; this is why Hansberry approved it more than the others.
The play partly answers Hughes’s question; among all the dreams, mama was the only one who never gave up on her in the end; it was fulfilled. From Hughes’ poem, the questions asked seeking more clarification on what happens to a dream deferred are answered. Every character in the play A Raisin in the Sun has a plan, but challenges force them to delay. When the play ends, and everyone is happy at the new home, the individual dreams are still uncertain. Upon giving up, there is no progress in achieving the wish. It is evident from the play that if you give up, then what you hoped for can not come to pass. A unique character who never gave up on herself finally sees the results of persevering. Lena finally fulfils the dream she and her husband had long ago before he died (Hanseberry and Nemirof 562). From her revealing experiences, it is evident that a dream deferred will dry up like a raisin in the sun. The only possible way to achieve it is not to give up but struggle till the end.
A dream makes a person not to give up and work towards attaining the goal. The play’s author uses five main characters to help explain the consequences of a deferred dream. Further illustrations are developed, indicating the personal setbacks people engage in that impede the realization of a dream. Mama is the only one whose vision is focused on her and the family; the rest have ambitions that only favour themselves. The author approves of the dream as it is fulfilled in the end. Lena’s goal of providing a secure and peaceful family home becomes a reality. The play’s occurrences partly answer Hughes’s question about a deferred dream. The ending is uncertain as we do not know what happens to the rest of the Younger’s dreams.
Work Cited
Hansberry, Lorraine, and Robert Nemiroff. A Raisin in the Sun. New American Library, 2008.