Preview

A Raisin in the Sun: Walter Lee Younger Character Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
560 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
A Raisin in the Sun: Walter Lee Younger Character Analysis
Walter Lee younger Character Analysis

“You name it son… and I hand you the world” said Walter (678). This was Walter Younger’s way of sharing his dreams with his son, Travis. In Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” a constant theme of hoping for better and a new life kept coming into play. Throughout the play, it is quite obvious that most characters would like to have a little more in life, but I think this theme is best shown through Walter. Walter Lee Younger is a middle-aged, African-American male who works as a chauffeur. He had been doing so for many years and was not very fond of it. He lived in a very small home with a crowded amount of people and was also tired of that. “ Mama- I don’t need no nagging at me today” (660). Walter was a hard working man who had big dreams. He planned to go into business with a couple of his friends running a liquor store in town. He was going to do so with the insurance money the family was going to get because of the death of their father. Although most of the household was against Walter and his plans, he continued to try to persuade Ruth and Mama to just trust him and let him use the insurance money. The continued to doubt and ignore Walter. During the play, Walter at times mentions to others about his plans and visions; “Listen, man, I got some plans that could turn this city upside down” (665). At this time Walter tries to share with George his plans about the liquor store. But, before he even starts, the two get into a slight argument because Walter is offended by George’s uptight behavior. Walter wanted to be in control of the entire ten thousand dollars that the family got from the insurance company. But Mama, Ruth, and Benny all had other plans. Instead of investing in a liquor store, Mama, Ruth and Benny were all in favor to get a house with the insurance money. By doing so they would be moving away to a somewhat better neighborhood, where they would have more space for the family and

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    At first, all Walter seems to care about is owning a liquor store with his two friends, Willy and Bobo. For example, one way he is trying to attempt his goal is by using Big Walter’s insurance money. He thinks that this is a good idea because it is an opportunity for him to make contributions for his family. In addition, Mama helps him out when she gives him $3500 to invest in a liquor store even…

    • 858 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Plot is used to show the course of the dreams of both Mama and Walter. At this particular point in their lives, Mama's husband has just died, leaving behind an insurance check (pg. 36) worth ten thousand dollars. The family has not yet decided how they are going to spend the check, but it could possibly be used to pay Beneatha's college tuition (pg. 37) or go towards Walter's dream of investing in a liquor store with his friends (pg. 33). Walter's proposal to Ruth (pg. 32-33) is shady to begin with; it consists of paying off people for a liquor license for only a "couple of hundred" (pg. 33) dollars and trusting Old Willy Harris to draw up legitimate papers for their business plan (pg. 70). The family does not seem to trust Walter's plan, and even his wife Ruth refers to his plan as "gambling" (pg. 42) with the money that Mama's late husband has left. The issue of Walter's liquor store acts as an example of the negative effects of not being responsible when pursuing one's dreams. Mama eventually gives Walter a sum of thirty five hundred dollars for him to " to look after" (pg. 106), which he decides to invest in the store as…

    • 1500 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    That be ten thousand each.”(Walter ,jr,) This quote is walter explaining to his family about his possible liquor store venture. His family is definitely not too fond of his idea especially his mom who is a devout christian. It seems as though Walter doesn’t really appreciate his dad’s insurance money and just sees it more or less as a get rich scheme. Walter doesn’t want to work to get his money to open up the liquor store, but instead sees the insurance money as easy way out of having to work for something he wants. He let’s his liquor store idea get the best of him and really drive him to say and do some bad things. Similar to Biff he seem’s to have an epiphany at the end to the play realizing he was going about the liquor store all wrong. Just as Biff realizes that he never wanted to be a salesman like his dad Willy.…

    • 786 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The state of humanity is a debatable topic, as it constantly has its ups and downs. For example, while humanity is moving forward in areas such as knowledge and technology, there are still many displays of ignorance and stupidity that make people wonder if progress is being made at all. Lorraine Hansberry, the praised playwright behind A Raisin in the Sun and The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, has experienced both the good and bad aspects of humanity and expresses it through her work. Although the majority of the characters and plot of A Raisin in the Sun suggest that humanity is repetitive, Hansberry uses some of her other characters,…

    • 1007 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Raisin In The Sun Failure

    • 750 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Walter would be able to get this family back into shape if the business is a success. His dream is to become as rich as the people he drives around in his valet job by owning a liquor store. This will let Walter buy his wife expensive stuff such as pearls. With the purchase of this liquor store he can finally show the real man he is and that he can support his family.…

    • 750 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Walter Lee Younger reaches personal success by achieving personal growth and improvement. In the beginning of this book, Walter is irresponsible and selfish which is shown through many occasions such when Mama tells Walter “Ruth is thinking ‘bout getting rid of that child.” (75) And later “Walter… has obviously been drinking.” (pg. 77) Essentially, Walter learns that his wife is pregnant and thinking of getting an abortion, and being the irresponsible selfish man he was, he went out and got drunk. Additionally, we learn that Walters’s investment did not work out and Mama asks him about his sister Beneetha’s money and he says “Mama… I never… went to the bank at all...” (pg. 129) This quote indicates how utterly conceited he really was, to throw all of his sister’s money laid out for her tuition just for his own investment. It also shows that he no longer has any self worth or pride in himself or his family, which is obviously…

    • 751 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun explores the universal ideas of family, dignity, and hope. Hansberry set her play in an old, once well-furnished and loved apartment in Southside Chicago after World War II. It is the story of an African American family’s struggle to prioritize futures and dreams and decide whose dream is most prevalent; once the family makes the choice to purchase a home with part of the money, they face an entirely new plight. One of the major themes of A Raisin in the Sun is the need to band together as a family and fight discrimination as a unified group, as opposed to a group that cannot stop fighting within itself.…

    • 532 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Big Walter Masculinity

    • 832 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Mama says that big Walter “worked himself to death” just so he can support his family. Walter has troubles supporting his family because he is trying to be the best man in his eyes which is hurting the family. Walter wants to be a rich successful man and can give whatever his family wants. Walter sets his mind on his liquor store and he will do whatever it takes for it. Walter wants to have this liquor really bad that the money Mama gave him and spent it all on his store and didn’t even get the store.…

    • 832 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Some people have the opportunity and easier access to make the American dream a reality, for others it remains just a dream. A dream that is deferred by many obstacles and such. Larry Hughes poem, a dream deferred describes this situation. In Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun, the Younger family each have dreams that they want to fulfill but is disrupted because of family selfishness and family issues. Each character had different dreams of their own. Big Walter, Walter Lee, and Mama Younger and the effects of their dreams on the family’s morale. Hughes uses a metaphor of a raisin to describe neglected hopes and dreams, which in turn is reflected in Hansberry’s exanple of the Younger family and their greed to fulfill the American…

    • 1179 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    He is the husband of Ruth, the brother of Beneatha, and the father of Travis Younger. He works as a chauffeur in the city. He dreams of becoming rich and being able to provide for is family, much like the white people he drives around. He wants to gives his family, especially Travis, with the things that he never had as a child. To try and achieve these dreams, he constantly tries and gets into some get rich quick schemes with his friends Bobo and Willy. Walter believes that these dreams are often deferred by his family, and himself. He often believes that his family, especially Ruth, are constantly putting him down and preventing him from elevating himself economically. Walter says in the play “that is just what is wrong with the colored women in this world… Don’t understand about building their men up and making ‘em feel like somebody” (1514). He feels like all women especially black women are always the one that hold their man down from achieving their goals and wants in life. He also blames society for his problems, because he is black. He thinks that since is black that is the reason why he can never get a descent and respectable job in life. The main reason that his dreams are deferred however is he. He constantly puts the blame on his family and society. While some of these reasons are partially true, he uses them more as a crutch and an excuse for not making anything of himself. He doesn’t take responsibility for his own hardships and learn that he has to work hard to be successful in life, which he doesn’t want to do. Walter’s dream is not the most important in this play because he wants to achieve his dreams more so for himself then his family. He wants to make these dreams happen for his own pride and ego, much like…

    • 1063 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The reality of being unable to achieve his dreams burdens Walter and eventually changes him into a greedy, selfish and cowardly young man who makes poor decisions and hurts those who love him. Walter’s obsession with money has caused his family a lot of trouble, especially when it comes to the discussion of the $10,000 insurance money they receive. He belittles Beneatha’s dreams of becoming a doctor and says, “Ain’t many girls who decide to be a doctor”(36). Walter even claims that spending money on Beneatha’s education is a waste, and that he and Ruth would have been richer and happier if Beneatha dropped school. Not only does he put down Beneatha’s dreams, he also selfishly wants all of the insurance money so that he can open a liquor store to make his own dream of being rich and successful come true. Ruth thought Walter was a dreamer and tells him to “eat your eggs” (34) every time he brings up his dreams. When he realizes that he none of his family supports his desire to opening a liquor store, he becomes a bitter and cowardly man. When Ruth tells him that she is pregnant and considering an abortion, he…

    • 763 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Raisin in the Sun Motif

    • 1202 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Walter looks at the idea of starting a business as a very simple process, in the way that an alcoholic would view alcohol as a simple fix to his life. When the idea of the liquor store is first introduced to the audience, it is apparent that Walter feels a sudden rush of euphoria and excitement similar to the feeling one gets after the first sip of alcohol. Walter is eager to share his seemingly prosperous idea to Ruth, “That be ten thousand each. Course, there’s a couple of hundred you got to pay so’s you don’t spend your life just waiting for them clowns to let your license approved.” (33) Walter explains his plan with such simplicity and haste that he seems to believe that the labor intensive process of starting a small business can be achieved by someone with little knowledge of that particular business sector. He shows that he believes that a future in alcohol can solve all the problems that he and his family are suffering through. He even neglects to think that the money actually belongs to his mother and not him.…

    • 1202 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Raisin In The Sun

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Walter Lee Younger dreamed of being successful and wealthy, and giving his family a better life. Walter explains to his family,…

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Walter's Transformation

    • 523 Words
    • 3 Pages

    “…Your old man is alright, man… he thinks big you know what I mean… I got some plans that could turn this city upside down…” Even though Walter hates George he still wants to talk to him about his “get rich” schemes. Walter goes on and on about his plans to George. All Walter wants is money and that’s what he tries to get out of George with his business schemes. Walter talks to George about his father and asks him for help on his big plans. When Walter starts on with one of his schemes he feels like he is the most important person. Walter is distracted from the other things in his life that need attending to instead of his ideas of getting rich. If we become too envious of other people, then we start to forget about the important things to us.…

    • 523 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    All the Youngers need money to fulfill their dreams, which due to a mix of fortune and misfortune is about to come their way. Mama’s husband, Big Walter, has died but left an insurance policy that will pay $10,000 to Mama. Walter Lee has designs on the money, as he and his friends plot to get rich quick by bribing public officials to get a permit to open a liquor store.…

    • 1070 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays