Quests not dreams a raisin i
Quests not dreams - a raisin iQuests Not Dreams
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is the story of black family living in the south side of Chicago. Each member of the family has a dream, a dream that has been put off for some reason. The storyline revolves around an insurance check for $10,000. The check belongs to Mama but each character envisions a different use for the money. Through the events of the play, each person either has their dream realized or caught a glimpse of their dream being fulfilled. I believe that Beneatha, Walter, and Mama each had a quest that they were on that was separate from their dreams.
Beneatha Younger was a loud, intelligent, and fresh-mouthed woman, her dream was to be a doctor and to somehow raise her people up. When Mama set aside the money for Beneatha's education, Beneatha believed that her dream would be realized. When the money was discovered to be lost, she thought her dream blew up in smoke. This dream wasn't the quest that she was intended to do though, her quest was to find her "African side" and to connect with it. Beneatha started to fulfill this by talking to Asagai (a man from Africa). She told him, "Mr. Asagai-I want every much to talk with you. About Africa. You see, Mr. Aasagai, I am looking for my identity." Asagai became a link to Africa for Beneatha, a guide to her ancestry/roots. In Act II, Beneatha shows how she has connected with her African roots by doing a ceremonial dance and by cutting her hair so that it would "natural." In Act III, Beneatha has the opportunity to connect more with her roots when Asagai proposes to her. He wants her to go with him back to Africa so that she can practice medicine over there. This would be the fulfillment of Beneatha's quest, not only does she bring out her African culture, but she also will go back and live it. Beneatha also brought out the "African" in other people as well. When Walter walked in drunk, he began to express himself as he looks "back to the past." Walter had his own quests as well.
Walter was a very important character in this book, he had some of the biggest dreams and the most ambition to fulfill those. Walter's dream was to have an office and to be successful. He wanted to have a gardener and he wanted to be able to send his son to any school that he wanted. Walter's quest was to be a man, a man can be trusted and a man who stands up in the face of adversity. At the end of Act II Scene I, Walter tells Mama, "What you need me to say you done right for? You the head of this family." Walter won't grow up until he has the responsibilty of being head of the...
To view the complete essay, you be registered.