Family in the American Dream The American Dream is the ideal that every United States citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. Many American authors throughout history have discussed this exact topic, one of them is Lorraine Hansberry and her work Raisin in the Sun. Through her work we discover the challenges of not only achieving the American Dream, but conquering racial challenges as well. This may already seem challenging, but with the family all seeing their own version of their dream. The American dream appears to be clear, but they differ from person to person in which their family can take different roles by being the sole focus or not being involved at all. For instance,
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Beneatha has one focus throughout the play, to become a doctor and break social norms. However, while she is in school, she has completely relied on her family for living area, food, clothes, all of her basic needs. Walter even brings this up at some point by mentioning how Beneatha is mooching off of all of them for her own personal gains. Beneatha never denies this, in fact, she mocks Walter for trying to make her show some gratitude toward the family. “… thank everybody… and forgive me for ever wanting to be anything at all… forgive me, forgive me!” (I. i) She almost rubs it in their face that she is trying to make something of her life. Furthermore, Beneatha put creating her own family on the back burner as well as the family she has now. “Listen, I’m going to be a doctor. I’m not worried about who I’m going to marry yet – if I ever get married.” (I. i.) She confirms that her dream comes first, and nothing is going to stand in her way of doing just that. To her family does not need to be involved at all, even with her strong influence from the rest of her
Beneatha has one focus throughout the play, to become a doctor and break social norms. However, while she is in school, she has completely relied on her family for living area, food, clothes, all of her basic needs. Walter even brings this up at some point by mentioning how Beneatha is mooching off of all of them for her own personal gains. Beneatha never denies this, in fact, she mocks Walter for trying to make her show some gratitude toward the family. “… thank everybody… and forgive me for ever wanting to be anything at all… forgive me, forgive me!” (I. i) She almost rubs it in their face that she is trying to make something of her life. Furthermore, Beneatha put creating her own family on the back burner as well as the family she has now. “Listen, I’m going to be a doctor. I’m not worried about who I’m going to marry yet – if I ever get married.” (I. i.) She confirms that her dream comes first, and nothing is going to stand in her way of doing just that. To her family does not need to be involved at all, even with her strong influence from the rest of her