Ashley Ann Hernandez
English 201-985
“A Raisin in the Sun”

Common Dream Untold

In the play “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry were guided through the lives of a family living in poverty. Mama , Walter and Bennie have their own dreams and even though they are all very different the deep expectation behind their dreams are the same in the sense that they're all looking for ways to crawl out of their current living situation and with a $10,000 life insurance check on the way they're all anxious to make their dreams a reality. In waiting for the arrival of the check Walter begins to loose grip with reality because he’s so wrapped up in his dream. + POINTS THAT I’m GOING TO GO INTO DEPTH LATER ON INTO MY ESSAY THEN THESIS STATEMENT

TOPIC SENTENCE !! Before the play began the narrator provided a detailed description of the scenery and it was made clear that the Young family lives in uncomfortable living conditions. “At left, a door leads to a bedroom which is shared by MAMA and her daughter, BENEATHA. At right, opposite, is a second room ( which in the beginning of the life of this apartment was probably a breakfast room) which serves as a bedroom for WALTER and his wife, RUTH(24-25).” and we later learn Walter and Ruth's son Travis sleeps on the living room couch. Mama and her husband didn't plan on living in the home for long but they had children and just stood there but he did indeed have dreams of one day leaving the place but he passed before they could fulfill that dream.

TOPIC SENTENCE "The single window ...The sole natural light the family may enjoy in the course of a day is only that which fights its way through this little window (24.)" The single window in the kitchen is where Mama places her plant to receive enough light to survive. Mama always dreamed of owning a home with a garden where she could plant but until then she continues to care for a single plant just as she cares for her family. Mama attempts to aid her plant to blossom and become beautiful just as she wants for her family. It also provides Mama with a sense of achieving her dream home with her garden.

TOPIC SENTENCE The window is mentioned many times in the play. It is through that same window in Scene I Act I Walter looks through and mentions people "running and racing to work (27.) Walter is a man with very little opportunity. He is a man full of dreams but it appears to be that he’s held down and he is desperate to be acknowledged. Based upon his actions one could make the conclusion that Walter may feel like less of man because he is not able to be the “Man” of the house since his mother and wife still have to work to make ends meet. Walter speaks to both his mother and wife with such anger because they don't care too much for his dream of wanting to own a liquor store with the $10,000 they're waiting on. Mama in particular doesn't seem too fond of his dream in fear that he'll become a drunk but Walter thinks otherwise he feels Liquor would be a money maker. Sadly despite them living in a middle class neighborhood many individuals drank during the 1950's to drown out the reality of their situations. It provided a temporary escape for them. However , Walters younger sister Beneatha has a different idea of getting herself out of their neighborhood. TOPIC SENTENCE Beneatha dreams to someday become a doctor to help people. Surprisingly no one questions Bennie's decision but instead they support it even though during the 1950‘s it wasn‘t common for females to try to excel in something so superior . They all supported any decision she made whether it be a small circular activity such as horse back riding , piano lessons , etc. Mama in fact plans to give Bennie part of her former husband's life insurance money to put towards her tuition. TOPIC SENTENCE With full trust in her heart Mama gives Walter the