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Craig Beebe
Ms. Von Holst
English 3
25 November 2014
American Dream: A Raisin in the Sun and One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest
The American Dream is something people refer to as good opportunity. The two texts
that explore the concept of the American Dream are A Raisin in the Sun and One Flew over the
Cuckoos nest. In A Raisin in the Sun, Walter was a greedy character that was proud of his work,
and reckless in a way that he didnt care what others thought of him. He truly wanted the best for
him and his family by opening up a business. In One flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, McMurphy
wanted to express his groups individualism, as well as be successful and free from the ward.
Both texts explore what can happen as an obstacle gets in the way of the American Dream. Both
authors provide different aspects of the American Dream, and show different ways to overcome
it. Even though these two texts display different concepts of the American Dream, they also
show differences in a way each character tried to get success.
In a Raisin in the sun, Walter believes the key to happiness and to success is to open up
his business and make money. In order to attain this goal, Walter needed entrepreneurial skills
necessary to succeed in business. Walter lacked in this skill and his education, so he looked for
other ways to overcome his goal. Sadly, Walter never sees any way out of his economic distress
other than the liquor store, which his mother opposes solely on moral grounds. Nowhere in the
play does Mama indicate that she would not give Walter the money for some other business idea;
it's just that she resists the idea of his selling liquor. Afterwards, he becomes frustrated with
himself and decides his best bet is to do as Linder said. Walter foolishly entrusts all of his

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mother's remaining money to his unscrupulous buddy, his shame turns to self-hatred, the only
emotion that permits him to consider selling out his race and accepting Lindner's offer.
In One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, it also shows similarities in a way that Mcmurphy
fails to acquire his goals, which is escaping the ward. McMurphy has a mentor in this text, just as
Walter did. McMurphys belief was that the hospital would be more comfortable than the
Pendleton Work Farm, where he was serving a six-month sentence, haunts McMurphy later
when he discovers the power Nurse Ratched wields over himthat she can send him for
electroshock treatments and keep him committed as long as she likes. As he became to realize
this, his frustration built up, and the less he cared for others on the ward. He became greedy just
like Walter did in A Raisin in the Sun. McMurhpy never had the chance of escaping the ward due
to his brain being removed, which meant that he also never achieved his goal.

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Works cited
Kesey, Ken. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, a Novel. New York: Viking, 1962. Print.

Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun: A Drama in Three Acts. New York: Random House, 1959. Print.