Love. A Raisin in the Sun - Essay Example

A Critical Analysis of “Walter Lee Younger” in the Play “A Raisin in the Sun” In Lorraine Hansberry’s play, “A Raisin in the Sun” Walter Lee Younger appears as a typical mid-twentieth-century African-American who has to shoulder partially his family’s maintenance at the death of his father, Mr. Scott. Like a sensible family-head he seems to be worried about the Youngers’ economic prosperity and struggles hard to support the family. Though at the beginning of the novel, he behaves defiantly and belligerently to other family members like his wife Ruth and her sister Beneatha, and though he takes some wrong decisions, he gradually amends himself.

Indeed these wrongs and flaws initially present him as an antagonist, while his belated rise to manhood turns him into a sort of hero in the last scene of the play. Walter, a developing character, deserves to be called the protagonist, since the plot of the play revolves around his actions and decisions. Walter’s initial haughtiness, belligerent attitude, insolence, and obsession with money essentially evolve from his immaturity and his experience of poverty. Walter is a loving and caring father of Travis.

He is concerned with his son’s good schooling: “we’ll go up to your room to see you sitting on the floor with the catalogues of all the great schools in America around you. . . .All the great schools in the world!” (Act II, scene ii). Though he is good at heart, his fear of poverty and his obsession with money with his far-fetched dream of living wealthy and prosperous life blindfolds him from viewing the stern face of reality. Consequently he continues being haughty and belligerent to other family members’ opinions for the family’s welfare, though ultimately he changes his stance and rises to manhood.

He continually endeavors to discover new better plans with a view to securing the family’s economic prosperity. Indeed Walter’s dream of a financially prosperous life often seems to exceed the limit of reality. He dreams a near-aristocratic lifestyle. Such Walter’s obsession with an upper-class lifestyle is vividly evident in a reply to his son: “Your daddy’s gonna make a transaction . . . a business transaction that’s going to change our lives. . . .one day….I’ll come home . . . I’ll pull the car up on the driveway . . .

just a plain black Chrysler” (Act II, scene ii). Walter’s dream of an economically prosperous life is tinged with an aristocratic manner: “I think, with white walls—no—black tires . . . the gardener will be clipping away at the hedges” (Act II, scene ii). His obsession with his dreams of an aristocratic life does not let him perceive that life is not a primrose path. It makes him believe that money is the only solution to all problems in his life. As a result, difficulties and barriers to his economic prosperity continually frustrate him.

As a daydreamer he reacts rudely and belligerently to other family members who do not agree with him. Walter often fights and argues with Ruth, Mama and Beneatha; he dreams a happy relationship with his wife: “I’ll go inside and Ruth will come downstairs and meet me at the door and we’ll kiss each other and she’ll take my arm and we’ll go up to your room to see you” (Act II, scene ii). Indeed his envision of such a juicy relationship with Ruth is a far-cry from his current one because of his failure to be a good listener.

He cannot perceive that happiness lies in the family-members’ support for each other and he cannot save the family from poverty alone. But eventually he realizes that unity among the family-members is an adjacent to happiness and buying a house is more important for the family unity than being rich quickly. Works CitedHansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. New York: Bentham Publishers, 2001