short story
RAISIN IN THE SUN
QUOTATIONS FOR WRITING
THE FAMILY & THE AMERICAN DREAM
WALTER:
DREAMS OF SUCCESS:
• Walter talks about the missed business opportunity with Charlie Atkins. P.32
• Complains that he has nothing to pass on to Travis. “I have been married eleven years and I got a boy who sleeps in the livingroom -- and all I got to give him is stories about how rich white people live…” p. 34
• To Mama: “Do you know what this money means to me? Do you know what this money can do for us? Mama—Mama—I want so many things.” P. 73
• Mama: “Son, how come you talk so much ‘bout money?” Walter: “Because, it is life, Mama!” Mama: “Oh—so now its life. Money is life. Once upon a time freedom use to be life—now its money. I guess the world really do change…” Walter: “No—it was always money, Mama. We just didn’t know about it.” p. 74
• “Listen, man, I got some plans that could turn this city upside down. I mean think like he does. Big. Invest big, gamble big, hell, lose big if you have to, you know what I mean. It’s hard to find a man on this whole Southside who understands my kind of thinking—you dig?” p. 84
• Walter to George: “And you—ain’t you bitter, man? Ain’t you just about had it yet? Don’t you see no stars gleaming that you can’t reach out and grab? …
Here I am a giant—surrounded by ants. Ants who can’t even understand what it is the giant is talking about” p.85
• Walter to Travis: “Just tell me where you want to go to school and you’ll go.
Just tell me, what it is you want to be—and you’ll be it…Whatever you want to be—Yessir! You just name it, son… and I hand you the world!” p. 108
HARSH REALITY:
• “You all always telling me to see life like it is. Well—I laid in there on my back today…and I figured it out. Life just like it is. Who gets and who don’t get. Mama, you know it’s all divided up. Life is. Sure enough. Between the takers and the “tooken.” I’ve figured it out finally. Yeah. Some of us always getting “tooken.” People like Willy
QUOTATIONS FOR WRITING
THE FAMILY & THE AMERICAN DREAM
WALTER:
DREAMS OF SUCCESS:
• Walter talks about the missed business opportunity with Charlie Atkins. P.32
• Complains that he has nothing to pass on to Travis. “I have been married eleven years and I got a boy who sleeps in the livingroom -- and all I got to give him is stories about how rich white people live…” p. 34
• To Mama: “Do you know what this money means to me? Do you know what this money can do for us? Mama—Mama—I want so many things.” P. 73
• Mama: “Son, how come you talk so much ‘bout money?” Walter: “Because, it is life, Mama!” Mama: “Oh—so now its life. Money is life. Once upon a time freedom use to be life—now its money. I guess the world really do change…” Walter: “No—it was always money, Mama. We just didn’t know about it.” p. 74
• “Listen, man, I got some plans that could turn this city upside down. I mean think like he does. Big. Invest big, gamble big, hell, lose big if you have to, you know what I mean. It’s hard to find a man on this whole Southside who understands my kind of thinking—you dig?” p. 84
• Walter to George: “And you—ain’t you bitter, man? Ain’t you just about had it yet? Don’t you see no stars gleaming that you can’t reach out and grab? …
Here I am a giant—surrounded by ants. Ants who can’t even understand what it is the giant is talking about” p.85
• Walter to Travis: “Just tell me where you want to go to school and you’ll go.
Just tell me, what it is you want to be—and you’ll be it…Whatever you want to be—Yessir! You just name it, son… and I hand you the world!” p. 108
HARSH REALITY:
• “You all always telling me to see life like it is. Well—I laid in there on my back today…and I figured it out. Life just like it is. Who gets and who don’t get. Mama, you know it’s all divided up. Life is. Sure enough. Between the takers and the “tooken.” I’ve figured it out finally. Yeah. Some of us always getting “tooken.” People like Willy