Sean Goatley-Soan 1

Sean Goatley-Soan
English 102
Ms. Ward
February 18th, 2010
Deferred Dreams
Dreams are like stars...you may never touch them, but if you follow them they
will lead you to your destiny (Anonymous). Dreams are hard things to describe,
because one never knows if they are real or not, yet nothing has ever been done
without dreaming it up first. In Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun, the characters Walter
Lee younger (brother), Lena Younger (Mama) and Joseph Asagai depict the very
fundamental aspects of this simple thought and quote.
The American dream is a theme seen throughout the play; this is the idealism of
what a better life would look like and each character has his or her own
interpretation of this. Walters interpretation is having money, Asagais is knowledge
and teaching his people, and Mamas is for the family to be united.
Walter Lee Younger is the protagonist of the play. Walter is a dreamer and is
always looking to the future instead of the present. He wants to become rich and
create a better life for himself and his family. He devises plans to acquire wealth with
his friend, Willy Harris, that inevitably ends in failure. Walters dreams consume him
to a point that he does not listen to the sound advice of Ruth or his mother, so instead
of helping him create a better future, these dreams hinder him by preoccupying his
mind on far reaching, get rich quick solution schemes. This is seen in the text by such
quotes as I want so many things that they are driving me kind of crazy Mama look
at me (Hansberry 1.2.222). His main dream is that in 17 years hell come home in a
plain black Chrysler with white walls and black tires. The gardener will say Good

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evening, Mr. Younger. Then, once he goes inside to his loving wife, he goes to his
son and offers him any university in America to go to. Although this is a great image
and ideology of the Dream, it personifies Walterss imagination to a distinct point.
Hansberry at the end of the play challenges Walter Youngers characteristic tragic
flaw. This is shown by Walter having to do his unethical transaction in front of his
son, which he cannot do as his better judgment precedes him and leads him onto a
higher, more morally correct path.
Joseph Asagai is a Nigerian student who is in love with Beneatha. Asagai is of
African heritage and he is very proud of it. Asagai is very rational and down to earth;
therefore, his dream is very plausible and he intends to go through with it. This dream
includes himself finishing off his education and then going back to Nigeria to teach
and educate his people. This is a noble and selfless act and says a lot about his
character. Asagai also shows the African-American past that most African-Americans
today have lost touch with.
Lena Younger (Mama) is Walter and Ruths mother, and in the play she recently
lost her husband, Walter Sr. Due to this loss, she becomes the recipient of ten
thousand dollars in life insurance. Her dream with this money is for her family to
become united in a new house and also to provide university money to Beneatha. To
unite the family and to appease Walters male ego, she gives part of the money to him
to start a business, which he inevitably loses. Although the money gets lost, her
overall plan still succeeds when Walter realizes his mistakes and becomes the man/son
of which she can be proud. Big Walter used to say, hed get right wet in ... us
children to make them dreams seem worth while" (Hansberry 1.1.206). When Mama
says this, it truly shows that her life dreams are not only for herself, but also for her
family and future generations.

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Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun got its name from the Langston Hues poem,
Harlem. This has great significance to the play since the poem speaks about what
happens to dreams when they are deferred. It is interesting how it correlates to the
play, as many of the dreams (especially Walters) in it do die, shrivel up, or explode.
But what Hansberrys play shows us is when these dreams do die or explode and the
remains turn to ash and all seems lost, sometimes out of this ash comes hope and
something much stronger is created.

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Works Cited
Anonymous. " Dreams are like stars... Positive Mantra. Web. 16 Feb. 2010.
<http://www.positivemantra.com>
Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. New York: Samuel French Inc Plays, 1959.
Print.
"Lorraine Vivian Hansberry Biography | Encyclopedia of World Biography
Biography." BookRags.com: Book Summaries, Study Guides. Web. 16 Feb.
2010. <http://www.bookrags.com/biography/lorraine-vivian-hansberry/>.
"A Raisin in the Sun Dreams, Hopes, and Plans Quotes." Shmoop: Study Guides &
Teacher Resources. Web. 15 Feb. 2010. <http://www.shmoop.com/a-raisin-in
the-sun/dreams-hopes-plans-quotes.html>.