Optimism In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

Optimism is the hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something. As life happens, there is no way to predict what is going to happen. Optimism is what keeps the hopes of people alive. Even though these two characters seem the same, Lennie should actually be considered more optimistic than Walter because of the dream, their family, and how they are separated because Lennie displays a more optimistic person.
Walter, being raised through racism and living through civil rights movement, his background was built in the times of segregation and racism. Walter, whose occupation is to chauffeur white businessmen around, dreams of a future where he can become financially stable. “Do you know what this money means to
He still had hopes, though, that his children would have a chance to see theirs come true. Even though both Beneatha's dreams of medical school and Walter's dreams of being a liquor store owner are jeopardized by Walter's foolish business dealings with the Willy Harris. “THAT MONEY IS MADE OUT OF MY FATHER’S FLESH—“ p. 128 This allows them to transform to realize that the most important thing in their lives isn't to be rich as successful people, but to be around the people you love. While Lennie, an individual who never really knew his family, his life had been composed of him and George going from farm to farm working to make enough money to survive. “George's voice became deeper. He repeated his words rhythmically as though he had said them many times before. 'Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place. They come to a ranch an' work up a stake, and the first thing you know they're poundin' their tail on some other ranch. They ain't got nothing to look ahead to.” (13-14) Beginning where it ends, guys like George and Lennie are going nowhere. Even though Lennie has a mental disability, he can’t comprehend the fact that they are on a road to nowhere. He is only has the dream of the farm that he makes George tell him about so he can imagine “tending to the rabbits”. The story of the farm is what motivates Lennie to keep working. While loosing all the money,
Lennie's eagerness for a small dream of owning rabbits on a little farm of his and George's own. Depicted as their American Dream, the farm creates hope for both men and, later, for others on the ranch. "O.K. Someday—we're gonna get the jack together and we're gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an' a cow and some pigs and—"
"An' live off the fatta the lan'," Lennie shouted. "An' have rabbits. Go on, George! Tell about what we're gonna have in the garden and about the rabbits in the cages and about the rain in the winter and the stove, and how thick the cream is on the milk like you can hardly cut it. Tell about that George."
"Why'n't you do it yourself? You know all of it."
"No…you tell it. It ain't the same if I tell it. Go on…George. How I get to tend the rabbits."