Julia Walsh

Period 2
May 2, 2013
English 9B

A Raisin in the Sun: Changing Walters Way

Racial inequality was at an all-time high; working class minority families struggled to fit
in with the white majority, life for African Americans after the abolishment of slavery was an
indisputable hardship and with freedom came more responsibilities, the evident pressures and
resentment, the ensuing intolerance concerning the colored caused a resistance against whites. A
literal representation of the injustice of being black in a predominantly white world was the
Youngers from Southside Chicago from the play A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry.
The eldest son, husband and father, Walter Lee Younger, was controlling and distraught. Walter
thought earning wealth is the means and method to prosperity. Since he only perceived the big
picture and at what benefited him to feel accomplished, he abused his authority and craved
compensation. Consequently, he was a selfish and materialistic man. Over the course of the play
Walter gradually grows from an immature, weak man into a strong, complex and more
compassionate man, beforehand Walter was conveyed as being obsessive over money and
pursuing his own dreams, he eventually changed his misguided view and the content of his
character by developing a deeper meaning and love for his family and begins to value their
shared dreams.
Walter proves time and again that he only values money and his own desires and it
drastically weakens him as a father and husband. When Walter and his wife Ruth are arguing,
Walter felt ashamed because all [hes] got to give [Travis] is stories about how rich white people

live.(34) Walters dream is to be the white mans counterpart and he thinks since he has not
achieved it at all; it affects what kind of father he is. Another example is when Walter is talking
to Mama and he is yearning for the good life where he can see the future full of nothing.
(73) Walter feels his future is empty because he only thinks about how he hates his social rank
because of his job as a chauffeur. What he wants is a life like them white boys [are] sitting back
there turning deals worth millions of dollarsbecause money is life. (74) Walter is only
thinking about his future and what he can amount to. He is not satisfied with having a stable,
healthy family. Walter is self-centered even though he has his family to think about. His dream
is unrealistic and too distant yet he keeps pursuing it. Finally, when Walter is having an
emotional talk with Mama, Walter blames Mama for his short comings. He accuses her of
butcher[ing] up a dream of [his]. (95) Walter is trying to hurt Mama by blaming her for his
shame and disappointment. He is manipulating by making her think that she was the cause of the
problem. Walter pushing the negativity onto Mama shows he cannot take responsibility. He is in
denial even though he should be the one sacrificing his well-being for his family. Because
Walters perception of what is most important is wrong, he does not pull through for himself or
his family, therefore he is weak and selfish.
Turning the tables, Walter has become a stronger husband, father, and son by discovering
the importance of meeting his familys emotional needs. When Mr. Linder comes to give them
back the money for the house, Mama encourages Walter to explain their familys worthiness and
why they deserve to keep the house. Walter starts off by giving Mr. Linder his familys
background and explains that they are very plain people. (147) Walter is telling him in a
straight forward way that his family is a normal, hardworking family that makes mistakes.
Walter goes on to explain that he come[s] from people who had a lot of pride. (148) Walter is

showing that his family has honor and they are proud of their roots and what they are raising in
America. He wants Mr. Linder to understand. When Mr. Linder insists on giving Walter his
money back, Walter looks him in the eye and says, We dont want your money. (148) Walter
has set his mind and officially turns down Mr. Linder no matter what he represents because his
family represents his world. Walter has proven to himself that his familys final decision is to
move into our house because my father has earned it for us brick by brick.(148) Walter now
knows his family is more important than what money has to offer.
The climax of the play portrays Walters most deceiving flaw, only caring about wealth
and pursuing his dreams, boils within him and others around him and finally makes him grasp
why he cannot live the way he has ,it finally invigorates his life and he changes for the better for
who he is and what he stands for, his family.