Introduction
When people mention the American dream, a vision of success, wealth, and happiness usually comes to mind. However, for African Americans living in the 1950s, it was a complicated concept, often at odds with the systemic racism and discrimination they faced on a daily basis. “A Raisin in the Sun” is a ground-breaking play written by Lorraine Hansberry in 1959, exploring the lives of the Younger family, an African American family living on the South Side of Chicago. The play reveals the complex ways in which societal structures and expectations shape individual aspirations and the pursuit of success. The central conflict stems from the Younger family’s different visions of the American Dream, as characters grapple with their own unique desires and limitations in the face of racial oppression.
The Debate Over Insurance Money
One way in which the family members’ visions of the American Dream are illustrated is through their perception of financial success and its worth to the characters. This is shown through the disagreement over the allocation of the insurance payout. With each member having their own plans to spend the money, it is challenging for them to find common ground. For example, Walter’s opinion on this matter is shaped by the significance money has to him.
One of the quotes that demonstrates this idea is Walter’s statement: “I want so many things that they are driving me kind of crazy…Mama – look at me” (Hansberry 75). This quote expresses Walter’s frustration in his pursuit of financial success. He desires to use the insurance money to invest in a business venture, hoping to fulfill his dreams of becoming a wealthy entrepreneur. The quote demonstrates the intensity of the conflict within the Younger family over the allocation of insurance money. Walter’s statement highlights his intense desire for financial success and his willingness to take risks in order to achieve it.
The reason for wealth having such a great value for Walter lies in the social and economic background. Balog presents this idea in his article “The Racial Tensions Depicted in Lorraine Hansberry’s ‘A Raisin in the Sun,’” in which the author discusses why insurance money was so important for all family members. Balog states that “segregation in job opportunities affected the lives of black Americans in the 1950s and 1960s” (Balog 163). The quote suggests that the limited job opportunities and segregation faced by Black Americans during the middle of the 20th century had a significant impact on their lives, including their financial situations. It shows how the historical context is relevant to understanding the debate over money in the play, as it reflects the broader societal structures and inequalities that the characters are navigating.
Walter also presents evidence demonstrating the influence of financial issues on the characters’ lives. In Act II, he states, “Cause sometimes it is hard to let the future begin” (Hansberry 125). This quote suggests that initiating change can be difficult, especially when individuals are unsure about what lies ahead. It is important as it indicates that some family members may be hesitant to take action and pursue their ambitions due to their limited opportunities, fear of failure, or the unknown. Overall, the Younger family’s insurance money debate exemplifies the conflicting interests and aspirations in “A Raisin in the Sun,” showing how individual desires and limitations can shape the pursuit of the American Dream.
Internalized Views on Race and Prosperity
The second important element contributing to the central conflict is the individual’s personal views on race and prosperity, which impact their pursuit of the American Dream. These views lead to discord and hinder the search for common solutions. Some of the characters see race legacy as an inspiration rather than a limitation.
The quote that represents this idea is spoken in Act II by George: “On our Great West African Heritage!… the great Ashanti empires; the great Songhay civilization; and the great sculpture of Benin… the word heritage!” (Hansberry 83). George sees his African heritage as a source of strength and inspiration and believes his own pursuit of the American Dream is a continuation of this legacy. The quote matters in relation tothe topic of the individual’s personal views on race and prosperity because it shows how George’s strong connection to his African heritage shapes his views on success and prosperity in America.
Mama, in Act I, offers another view on the connection between race and the pursuit of the American Dream. This opinion is less optimistic as it considers the restrictions existing in society. As Mama reflects on the life and dreams of her late husband, she implies that he worked hard but never achieved the prosperity he desired.
Talking with Ruth and Beneatha, Mama says, “Yes, a fine man—just couldn’t catch up with his dreams, that’s all” (Hansberry 49). Despite his abilities and efforts, Walter Sr. was unable to realize his aspirations due to systemic barriers that privileged white Americans over black individuals. This quote emphasizes the difficulties and hindrances encountered by African Americans in their pursuit of success.
The third point of view, which demonstrates the characters’ internalized beliefs associated with the pursuit of the American dream, portrays the American dream as a tool for overcoming internal and external struggles. This opinion is expressed in the article written by Radhi. The author states that “Hansberry’s play is basically about the significance of the dream in the sense that all the main characters are fighting with the repressive circumstances that govern their lives” (Radhi 161).
This quote suggests that, in some cases, African Americans struggle to pursue their dreams and aspirations due to the lack of support from their own community or government. The quote emphasizes the centrality of the dream as a driving force for the characters in the play. The characters struggle with external obstacles and societal structures butalsowith their internalized beliefs about their worth and potential in relation to the American Dream (Sharma 29). Therefore, it can be argued that the characters’ views on race and the American Dream in “A Raisin in the Sun” reveal how society shapes aspirations and success.
External Barriers
The external barriers faced by the Younger family, including discrimination, limited economic opportunities, and social pressure, create conflict in the characters’ pursuit of the American Dream. Restrictions, dictated by the family’s economic status, predestinate their loss on the way to success. A quote that clearly demonstrates Mama speaks this in Act II, as she is reflecting on her own unfulfilled dreams of homeownership and stability.
She states: “Child, you should know all the dreams I had ’bout buying that house and fixing it up and making me a little garden in the back — And didn’t none of it happen” (Hansberry 48). Mama expresses her disappointment in not being able to achieve this dream despite her efforts. This quote is important as it highlights the external barriers to achieving the American Dream, such as poverty and lack of opportunity, which Mama and many other African Americans faced during that time.
Social restrictions leave their mark on the result of pursuing the American dream as well. This idea is discussed in Khatoon’s research study. It is stated that “The family moves to get sound stability, but in signifying present something comes to be repeated, relocated and translated in the name of systematized authority and racial demarcation” (Khatoon 84). This quote means that the Younger family’s move is not just about physical relocation but represents broader societal and systemic factors that impose racial boundaries and restrictions on African Americans.
It is vital to the topic as it demonstrates how external barriers like institutional racism and discrimination limit the opportunities and choices available to African Americans in their pursuit of the American Dream. In all these ways, “A Raisin in the Sun” demonstrates how external barriers can hinder people from achieving their aspirations, fueling the ongoing debate on the nature of the American Dream.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that the play “A Raisin in the Sun” portrays the challenges faced by the Younger family in pursuing their individual versions of the American Dream. The characters’ struggle to achieve it generates conflict in various ways, such as through disagreement over the allocation of insurance payout, personal views on race and prosperity, and external barriers. These factors lead to discord and hinder the search for common solutions, highlighting the enduring relevance of the play’s themes in contemporary discussions of race and equality.
As readers reflect on this play, they must recognize that the pursuit of the American Dream is not a singular journey but a collective one. Arguably, American society must continue to address and dismantle systemic barriers to equality, creating a society where all individuals have access to the opportunities needed to fulfill their aspirations. It is only then that the promise of the American Dream can be fully realized.
Works Cited
Balog, Persieus S. “The Racial Tensions Depicted in Lorraine Hansberry’s ‘A Raisin in the Sun’.” International Journal of Arts, Sciences and Education, vol. 3, no. 1, 2022, pp. 154-167.
Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. Modern Library, 1995.
Khatoon, Yamna. “A Raisin in the Sun: The Impacts of Racial Segregation and Identity Crisis.” Pakistan Languages and Humanities Review, vol. 5, no. 2, 2021, pp. 78-87.
Radhi, Ghassan F. “The Dynamism of the American Dream in Miller’s ‘Death of a Salesman’ and Hansberry’s ‘A Raisin in the Sun’.” European Journal of Humanities and Educational Advancements, vol. 3, no. 8. 2022, pp. 159-163.
Sharma, Aakash. “The Generational Question in A Raisin in the Sun: A Critical Analysis.” Creative Saplings, vol. 1, no. 11, 2023, pp. 21-31.