ais In Lorrain Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun, money is an essential key in the Younger household. For Walter Younger, money is the ticket to being a “man” in Harlem and the solution to any and every problem he may encounter. For Mama, Lena Younger, money is not all it seems. She is willing to use the money she has to maintain peace and happiness in her home. Walter is desperate for money; he feels that it is the key to everything and the solutions to all of his problems. Money is so important to Walter because he feels that the man should be the head of the household. He feels that he will be looked at as less of a man if he does not have any money and he cannot support his family. Throughout the play, money corrupts Walter. His lust for money effects the way he thinks, as well as the way he acts on a daily basis. He begins to neglect his work and his family in the pursuit for finance. Walter’s anger is exposed in a conversation between him and Ruth. Walter says “…Don’t understand about building their men up and making em’ feel like they somebody, like they can do something.” (Page 12) Mama, on the other hand, is not so much concerned wih money. She does whatever she can to keep her family happy. She never let money change her, but she does use it wisely. She proves this when she buys her family a new house in the “white folks” neighborhood. She knows that this is unheard of during this time. She also tries to share the wealth with Walter in order to give him a chance to be the man he wants to be. She gives him six thousand five- hundred dollars and tells him to keep half and pay Benita’s tuition with the other half. Mama assures Walter that she wants to use the money to make her family happy