Carlos Elias

Ms. Storer
English 3 Honors
12 March 2020
My Biggest Takeaway from A Raisin in the Sun
The biggest takeaway I had from reading Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun is the
knowledge of managing your wealth is more important than the money itself.
In the beginning, I was born on September 26, 2002, in San Diego, California. I was
fortunate to be raised with a Catholic education at my childhood school of St. Therese Academy.
I also found my passion in sports by playing soccer starting at the age of four. My parents have
always been conscious about my family’s financial situation, sometimes abstaining from certain
things in order to pay for my education and soccer. This became really evident when I moved to
Surf Soccer Club in Del Mar, the best and most expensive soccer club in San Diego. Even
though it is expensive, my parents saw it for the better to develop my ever-increasing soccer
abilities. During this same time, I was transitioning from middle school to high school, taking the
HSPT for Mater Dei Catholic High School. Knowing my family’s current financial situation, I
knew I wouldn’t be able to go to Mater Dei without an academic scholarship. Through studying,
I was able to earn a 100% scholarship, and my parents were very proud of me. Even though I
achieved this through my hard work, I couldn’t have done it without my parents. This is because
they were able to provide me with a good education from a young age and instill in me a
disciplined lifestyle.
Unlike my family’s situation, the Younger family in the A Raisin in the Sun were
financially unsavvy with their wealth. Even since the beginning, Walter was not smart about his
family’s money, even foolishly giving Travis a dollar when Ruth previously told him not to.
Initially, Travis was denied 50 cents, but Walter responded by saying “In fact, here’s another
fifty cents…Buy yourself some fruit today – or take a taxicab to school or something!”
(Hansberry 31). Through this event, it is clear how Walter is unconcerned about the financial
situation the family is in, despite the fact that the family is waiting for an insurance check.
Although they are about to receive money from the check, the check is supposed to cover
important improvements of the family’s lifestyle, such as Beneatha’s money for education and
money to buy a new and improved house. Walter’s actions throughout the novel have
exemplified how bad of financial role model he is to his family and especially his son Travis.
Looking at the financial troubles of the Younger family, the play has made me curious
about whether my family has ever been in a tough financial situation like the Youngers. One
thing that came to mind was when my mother was laid off from her old job a bit after the
recession in 2008. I remember my parents being very stressed out, and my family having to give
up on a few things as a result. However, my parents fought hard to prevent any negative
consequences from this, and my mom eventually got a new job. Now, my mom is extremely
happy with her job, and my family’s overall financial situation is totally in control. Through my
parents’ hard work and leadership, my family has been able to set up my own wealth for success,
and I feel like I have learned so much from them.