The play A Raisin in the Sun was written by Lorraine Hansberry, and is set in a poverty-stricken, black section of Chicago in the 1950’s. In the passage above, Lena Younger known as Mama, the functioning head of the household, is speaking to her thoroughly demoralized adult son, Walter. Mama’s statement reflects a change of heart she experiences about her role in the Younger family and what she needs to do to protect it. In this passage, Hansberry explores how the control of money in a family can be equated with empowerment, and society’s presumed role for men in families, during these evolving times.
Walter is obsessed with material wealth and feels his manhood is judged by his inability to support his family. Walter feels emasculated by Mama since she will not give him the $100,000 proceeds she receives from a life insurance policy on her deceased husband. While Walter wants to invest this money in a new liquor store business, Mama thinks the money better spent to purchase a new home for their extended family. Walter confronts Mama that she has both butchered his dreams, as well as fully assumed the role of head of household that Mama purports to want Walter to assume. Mama observes her son falling deeper and deeper into despair, and the fabric of the greater Younger family fraying. As a result, Mama has a change of heart about what to do with the inheritance, and how best to save her crumbling family. While Mama uses the majority of the money to purchase a new home for …show more content…
The author acknowledges both the norms of the times regarding evolving gender roles, as well as the pressure on the poor to forego integrity to obtain the trappings of an increasingly materialistic society. In this specific passage, Hansberry shows how transferring control of money in a family can concurrently transfer power, for better or for
Walter is obsessed with material wealth and feels his manhood is judged by his inability to support his family. Walter feels emasculated by Mama since she will not give him the $100,000 proceeds she receives from a life insurance policy on her deceased husband. While Walter wants to invest this money in a new liquor store business, Mama thinks the money better spent to purchase a new home for their extended family. Walter confronts Mama that she has both butchered his dreams, as well as fully assumed the role of head of household that Mama purports to want Walter to assume. Mama observes her son falling deeper and deeper into despair, and the fabric of the greater Younger family fraying. As a result, Mama has a change of heart about what to do with the inheritance, and how best to save her crumbling family. While Mama uses the majority of the money to purchase a new home for …show more content…
The author acknowledges both the norms of the times regarding evolving gender roles, as well as the pressure on the poor to forego integrity to obtain the trappings of an increasingly materialistic society. In this specific passage, Hansberry shows how transferring control of money in a family can concurrently transfer power, for better or for