What Is The American Dream In A Raisin In The Sun

In “A Raisin in the Sun,” by Lorraine Hansberry we are introduced to the Younger Family, an African-American family residing on the south side of Chicago during the 1950s. Each individual has a dream of how they would like to better themselves in order to eventually help their family. Mama wants a bigger home, Bennie wants to become a doctor and Walter wants to open his own business, are their dreams truly selfless or selfish. Their difference of opinion and failure to understand one another’s feelings and desires is one of the biggest issues the family must overcome. During the 1950s the typical “American dream” was depicted as the happy family, consisting of father, mother, and children, in a home with a yard, and a nice car. This is the dream that Mama had envisioned for her family, …show more content…
She is from a different generation where morality, family and religion was the center of the household, not money. Her success is based on the happiness of her family and centering their beliefs around God. Mama goes so far as to slap Beneatha at one point for saying there is no God, and makes her say, "In my mother's house there is still God." Mama's faith influences her plans for the insurance money as her plans are selfless and for the good of her family, not herself personally. Growing up as an African American male in the mid 20th century the only way that you would be able to be successful is to obtain wealth.Walter Lee Younger devises this “get rich quick” plan to use his father’s insurance money to open a liquor store with his friend Willy Harris. He