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How Does Walter Build Tension In A Raisin In The Sun

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How Does Walter Build Tension In A Raisin In The Sun
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry takes place in the Chicago Southside between World War II and the 1950s. The Younger family is living in a house that is falling apart, just like their family is, due to the struggles that African Americans faced during this time period. The two characters that have the biggest influence on this plot are Mama and her son, Walter. Walter has a big influence on this plot because he is the most upset about the news on the house and adds a lot of tension at the end of the scene. Walter shows that he is upset that Mama made a down payment on the house by saying, “You the head of this family. You run our lives like you want to.” This line shows that Walter is upset that Mama did not put the money towards …show more content…
She influences the plot by telling the big news about making a down payment on a house located in Clybourne Park. When she announces that she had made a down payment on a house, Walter was outraged. Mama’s response to his fury was, “Son – I just tried to find the nicest place for the least amount of money for my family.” This line and her other response, “Four o six Clybourne Street, Clybourne Park” caused tension between Mama and Walter because the house is located in a white neighborhood and they would be the only African American family living there. The two have a conflict about the house at the end of the scene. Although Mama does not quite argue about the house as Walter does, she gives him her explanation for making the down payment. Her reason was, “We was going backwards ‘stead of forwards – talking ‘bout killing babies and wishing each other was dead…” Mama tells Walter this to try to explain how much she cares for her family and her desire for them to be happy. She also shows her want for a happy family by saying, “When it gets like that in life – you just got to do something different, push on out and do something bigger…” This shows that Mama thinks that changing their lifestyle will be beneficial to them. Walter gets irritated by this conversation and leaves the scene, leaving Mama alone with tension between the two. In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Mama and her son Walter have the biggest influence

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