This term paper deals with the play "A Raisin in the Sun" and how the concept of the American Dream appears in the play. It will be discussed if working hard is enough to reach one’s American Dream.
The play is written by Lorraine Hansberry and published in 1958. It takes place in the south of Chicago where the Younger family lives and consists of five people from three different generations. Head of the family is Lena, who is mostly called Mama, right after her we got her son Walter Lee, who will be presented in the main part of this term paper. Besides, there is Walter’s wife Ruth and their son Travis. The last member of the Youngers is Walter’s sister Beneatha. Mama embodies the first generation and is quite traditional. Ruth, Walter and “Bennie” represent the second generation, whereas Travis is the only child in the third generation. The family has been living in America in the fifth generation and has got African roots. It can be said though that Walter, Bennie, Ruth and Travis are less traditional than Mama and identify with the American way of life.
The whole family shares a small apartment in a ghetto and living together is difficult as everybody has got his or her own desire, Dream and point of view about certain topics. Especially Walter Lee expects a lot from life and the reader sympathizes with him. Misunderstood by his family Walter wants to live a better life and represents the concept of the American Dream of a person wanting to “rise from rags to riches”. Walter dreams of an office job and really dislikes being a chauffeur for a white person. He wants his son to go to the best schools and to get the best education as possible. Furthermore, he also wants to spoil his wife and get himself a nice car. But why does he fail? Why does nobody in his family support his idea of raising an own business, namely opening a liquor store? Beneatha is not even surprised about Walter’s failure. These questions shall be answered in the main part of this paper. Moreover, I quickly want to present the concept of the American Dream, especially focusing on the Dream of “Upward Mobility”.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. “From rags to riches”- What is the American Dream?
3. Two individual American Dreams
3.1 Walter Lee’s failure of his personal American Dream
3.2 Benjamin Franklin’s success- a brief comparison between him and Walter
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the feasibility of achieving the "American Dream" solely through hard work, specifically focusing on the disparities between systemic socio-economic barriers and individual ambition as depicted in Lorraine Hansberry's play "A Raisin in the Sun".
- The historical and societal construction of the American Dream.
- Character analysis of Walter Lee Younger and his struggle for upward mobility.
- Comparative analysis of Benjamin Franklin’s self-made success versus Walter Lee's failure.
- The impact of race, social class, and education on individual success.
- Evaluation of the "Puritan work ethic" in the context of the American Dream.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Walter Lee’s failure of his personal American Dream
Walter Lee Younger is one of the main protagonists in the play A Rasin in the Sun. He is in his middle thirties and is described as lean and intense (Hansberry 25). Furthermore, he “[is] inclined to quick nervous movements and erratic speech habits” and there is also a quality of indictment in his voice when he talks (Hansberry 25). These characteristics show that he is not really satisfied with his life and the things he has got. His serious manner indicates that he does not have a lot to laugh about and that he is not happy with his current situation.
Walter’s behaviour and his mood changes cannot be justified but tried to be explained though. Walter Lee Younger has got a Dream, his personal American Dream of Upward Mobility which makes all the things happening around him simply unimportant. Walter wants to raise his own business with two friends, Bobo and Willy, namely opening a liquor store, which fails in the end. Walter thinks big though and especially one scene in the play describes pretty well how Walter sees his future. One night he talks to his son Travis about what kind of man he is going to be when he grows up and forecasts him a bright and very different life from their current situation now.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the primary research objective regarding whether hard work suffices to achieve the American Dream, set against the backdrop of the Younger family in Lorraine Hansberry's play.
2. “From rags to riches”- What is the American Dream?: This section explores the origins and multifaceted definitions of the American Dream, with a specific focus on the concept of upward mobility and the influence of historical factors.
3. Two individual American Dreams: This chapter serves as the comparative core of the paper, contrasting the fictional character Walter Lee Younger with the historical figure Benjamin Franklin.
3.1 Walter Lee’s failure of his personal American Dream: This part examines the specific personal, systemic, and racial obstacles that lead to the failure of Walter Lee's aspirations.
3.2 Benjamin Franklin’s success- a brief comparison between him and Walter: This section analyzes how the Puritan work ethic and personal discipline contributed to Benjamin Franklin's success in contrast to Walter Lee's circumstances.
4. Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes the findings, asserting that while hard work is a factor, socio-economic background and systemic racism significantly influence the ability to achieve the American Dream.
Keywords
American Dream, Upward Mobility, A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry, Benjamin Franklin, Walter Lee Younger, Puritan work ethic, Racism, Segregation, Self-made man, Social class, Success, Failure, Poverty, Education.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this paper?
The paper examines whether hard work alone is sufficient to achieve the American Dream, using Lorraine Hansberry’s "A Raisin in the Sun" as a literary case study.
What are the primary themes analyzed?
The central themes include the feasibility of upward mobility, the role of education, the impact of race and segregation, and the concept of the "self-made man."
What is the main goal or research question?
The primary research question is whether "working hard" is enough to reach one's American Dream, or if systemic barriers like race and class are more decisive.
Which methodology does the author use?
The paper utilizes literary analysis of the play "A Raisin in the Sun" combined with a historical and sociological comparison of Benjamin Franklin’s biography to illustrate the dynamics of the American Dream.
What is covered in the main section?
The main part covers the historical definition of the American Dream, an analysis of Walter Lee Younger’s specific failures, and a comparative study of the "Puritan work ethic" as demonstrated by Benjamin Franklin.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include American Dream, Upward Mobility, Racism, Puritan work ethic, and social class.
How does the author interpret Walter Lee’s failure?
The author argues that while Walter's personal naivety and lack of discipline play a role, his failure is largely exacerbated by systemic racism and the socio-economic disadvantages of being born into poverty.
Why is Benjamin Franklin used as a comparison?
Franklin is used as a historical archetype of the "self-made man" to contrast how different personal strategies, when supported by a different societal position, lead to vastly different outcomes.
- Citar trabajo
- Kathrin Unglaub (Autor), 2014, "A Raisin in the Sun". Is working hard enough to achieve one's American Dream?, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/319750
