Chauffered into a Man

Chauffeured Into a Man

To be a hero, one must make a self-sacrifice for the benefit of another. In the play, A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry portrays these qualities through a character named Walter Lee. Walter Lee gives insight into the everyday life of a post WWII African-American working class male. Strangely, Walter also serves as the play's antagonist; his selfish nature and impulsive actions hold the family back from a more prosperous and fulfilling life. Walter does not develop his heroic characteristics until the end of the play. Walter brings out the hero within when he overcomes his selfish desires and when he stands up to Mr. Lindner.

Walter concocts selfish dreams in his mind to try and provide for his family. Walter wants to use Mama's insurance check to start a liquor store.

One should always stand up for oneself and one's family. Walter Lee is the shield, protecting his family's dignity from the racist time period. Motivated by racism, Mr. Lindner offers the Younger family a great deal of money for them not to move into the predominantly white Clybourne Park. While Walter considers the financial gain, Mama expresses her resentment when she says, "...but ain't nobody in my family never let nobody pay 'em no money that was telling us we wasn't fit to walk the earth. We ain't never been that poor. We ain't never been that dead inside." That statement from Lena changes Walter's mind and causes him to stand up and refuse the offer. He does this partly in memory of his father and partly as a lesson to his son Travis.