In the play, A Raisin In The Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, Walter Younger and Mama’s identities conflict with their success. Walter is a poor black man in Southside Chicago in the 50’s, while Mama is someone who has lived close to the affects of slavery. Both of these identities keep Walter and Mama from getting what they want from life, causing conflict with their success.
Walter’s identity as a poor, black man in Southside Chicago conflicts with his success because during that time period, racial laws and concepts were still in place against people of color. The Youngers, like many other African American families, live in a small apartment with no room for everyone to live comfortably in the family. In Act 1 Scene 1, Hansberry writes about …show more content…
She is still stuck on the idea that not being put into slavery, as well as family is all the victory you need An example of this is on page 74. She is talking to Walter about how times have changed, and what people valued in her time, versus what Walter and Beneatha, Walter 's sister and Mama’s daughter value, which is money. She then states “In my time, we was worried about not being lynched and getting to the north if we could.” What Mama means by this is, in her time, money was less than important. What was really important was escaping slavery and being free. This shows how her identity conflicts with her success because instead of wanting to move up in life, she believes as long as you are free, you are perfectly fine, which is no longer true. Next, moving back a few moments, on page 70, Walter shows Mama the papers and contracts for the liquor store. She then said, in a dry tone, without even looking at the papers, “There ain’t going to be no investing in no liquor stores.” After she says this, Walter explodes, and tells her how her identity is getting in the way of her, as well as her family’s success.Walter then tells MamaTravis still has to sleep on the couch every night, himself, Ruth, and even Mama herself have to work hours a day just to buy things needed in the house, and the family cant even afford new …show more content…
in hopes of pulling her son out of the slump he’s in, as well as strengthening her bond with him, Mama decides to give away the rest of her insurance money to Walter and trusts him to do the right thing. Although it was a genuine gesture, it was foolish, trusting Walter with the money. Instead going to the bank, and saving for Beneatha’s college funds, Walter lost it all, in an attempt to follow his original plan to buy the liquor store, but failing. If she was concentrated on being successful, she would have kept the money, which was rightfully hers. Instead, because she does not value money, she gave it all away.This as well, shows how Mama’s identity conflicts with her success, because since she does not value money, or see it as important, she decides to just give it to Walter, knowing that he cannot be trusted with
Walter’s identity as a poor, black man in Southside Chicago conflicts with his success because during that time period, racial laws and concepts were still in place against people of color. The Youngers, like many other African American families, live in a small apartment with no room for everyone to live comfortably in the family. In Act 1 Scene 1, Hansberry writes about …show more content…
She is still stuck on the idea that not being put into slavery, as well as family is all the victory you need An example of this is on page 74. She is talking to Walter about how times have changed, and what people valued in her time, versus what Walter and Beneatha, Walter 's sister and Mama’s daughter value, which is money. She then states “In my time, we was worried about not being lynched and getting to the north if we could.” What Mama means by this is, in her time, money was less than important. What was really important was escaping slavery and being free. This shows how her identity conflicts with her success because instead of wanting to move up in life, she believes as long as you are free, you are perfectly fine, which is no longer true. Next, moving back a few moments, on page 70, Walter shows Mama the papers and contracts for the liquor store. She then said, in a dry tone, without even looking at the papers, “There ain’t going to be no investing in no liquor stores.” After she says this, Walter explodes, and tells her how her identity is getting in the way of her, as well as her family’s success.Walter then tells MamaTravis still has to sleep on the couch every night, himself, Ruth, and even Mama herself have to work hours a day just to buy things needed in the house, and the family cant even afford new …show more content…
in hopes of pulling her son out of the slump he’s in, as well as strengthening her bond with him, Mama decides to give away the rest of her insurance money to Walter and trusts him to do the right thing. Although it was a genuine gesture, it was foolish, trusting Walter with the money. Instead going to the bank, and saving for Beneatha’s college funds, Walter lost it all, in an attempt to follow his original plan to buy the liquor store, but failing. If she was concentrated on being successful, she would have kept the money, which was rightfully hers. Instead, because she does not value money, she gave it all away.This as well, shows how Mama’s identity conflicts with her success, because since she does not value money, or see it as important, she decides to just give it to Walter, knowing that he cannot be trusted with