Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun

Throughout the play, A Raisin in the Sun, the character Beneatha talks about finding her identity. The concept of assimilation becomes very important to the Younger family. Neither of the members of the Younger family wanted to assimilate into mainstream America, they just want to live comfortably. The Youngers are an African American family living on the south side of Chicago in the 1950s. They were living during an era where America was extremely racist towards blacks. The Younger family was made up of Mama, the backbone of the family, her daughter Beneatha, her son Walter, his wife Ruth, and his son Travis. They all lived in a small two-bedroom apartment where they had to share a bathroom in the hall with their neighbors and Travis slept on the couch.

Mama and her family were about to receive a check for $10,000 from the deceased Mr. Younger's insurance policy. This money seemed like the answer to the family's' prayers. Everyone seemed to have big dreams for the money. Mama wanted to buy a house, Walter wanted to invest the money into a liquor store, and Beneatha wanted to use the money for her medical school tuition. Ruth agreed with Mama's ideal of buying a house and she thought that the house would provide more space and opportunity for her son.

Mama wanted to use the insurance money to buy a house. She finally had the chance to fulfill the dream that her and Mr. Younger always had. Mama wanted to buy a house in a predominantly white neighborhood but the white people were not thrilled at all by this. They even offered money in return for staying away. Though of course Mama refused the deal. It didn't matter to Mama that they were moving into a predominantly white neighborhood, she just wanted her own home with a garden and a yard. In the given quote Mama talks about how the world has changed and how Walter is more interested in being rich then his true self, "Mama: Oh--So now it's life. Money is life. Once upon a time freedom used to be life--now it's money. I guess the world really do change . . .Walter: No--it was always money, Mama. We just didn't know about it. Mama: No . . . something has changed. You something new, boy. In my time we was worried about not being lynched . . . You ain't satisfied or proud of nothing we done. I mean that you had a home; that we kept you out of trouble till you was grown; that you don't have to ride to work on the back of nobody's streetcar--You my children--but how different we done become."

Walter wanted to invest the insurance money into a liquor store. He thought that the liquor store would solve all of their financial problems for good. He wanted to submerge into mainstream America; he wanted to live the American Dream. Walter was a chauffer and he wasn't pleased with his profession. In the given quote Walter talks about how he wanted a better life for his son, "Walter: You wouldn't understand yet, son, but your daddy's gonna make a transaction . . . a business transaction that's going to change our lives. .