The Theme Of The American Dream In Walter Lee, By John Hansberry

Superior Essays
Register to read the introduction… Walker is determined to become very wealthy and he will “have nothing less than the complete American dream” (Washington 114). He wants to use his father’s insurance money to open a liquor store. He thinks that becoming wealthy will give him some sort of escape from his daily routine in his life. This causes many problems between Mama, Beneatha, and his wife, Ruth. Far from being a great listener, Walter does not realize he must listen to his family’s concerns to help them out with their problems. Towards the end of the play, he realizes he can not help his family out alone. He finally becomes a man and stands up to Mr. Lindner. He refuses the money Mr. Lindner offers his family to not move into the new neighborhood. Therefore, Walter’s American dream is no longer to become wealthy, but to become a man and help his family …show more content…
The American dream also resembles the theme in the play. Each character has their own American dream they are fighting for. A character that fights for the “complete American dream” is Walter. (Alder). Walter is determined to become wealthy and pursue his mother into letting him have his father’s insurance check to buy a liquor store. Throughout most of the play, he sticks with becoming wealthy until he has to choose between his happiness or his family’s happiness. Walter becomes a man and choose his family’s happiness over his own. Walter’s American dream to become wealthy and own his own liquor store is not ideal because his dream does not help his family …show more content…
They strive to provide a new home for their family and to escape the bad life the live now. Mama believes that getting a new home for her family will bring happiness to her family, and that is a huge accomplishment to her. Getting a new home will help Ruth because she wasn’t sure about having her new child grow up in the apartment. Even though they struggle within the play, Mama and Ruth both achieve their American dream from the help of their family. Finally, Hansberry uses detailed symbols to describe the American dream. The first symbol seen in the play is the phrase, “eat your eggs” (Hansberry 1133). Ruth says this phrase to her husband, Walter to get him to be quiet. Then Walter examples to Ruth that women use the phrase to keep men from achieving their goals. The phrase and being quiet represents the acceptance of the adversity the family faces. The eggs symbolizes that Ruth supports her husband by nourishing him every day. Also, the eggs may symbolize the pregnancy of

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