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A Raisin in the Sun

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A Raisin in the Sun
Marie Keefer
English 105
Robert DeFelice
A Raisin in the Sun Essay Questions
1. I’ve always had love/ hate relationship with money ever since I was old enough to have my own. My first experience receiving a large amount of cash was when I celebrated my First Holy Communion. Through cards filled with twenty dollar bills to checks and gifts I received a total of approximately three hundred and fifty dollars and I felt like a millionaire. At this time I was seven years old and had my very own money to spend—or so I thought. My mom didn’t allow me to spend a penny of it; instead she placed it all in a savings account that she would have control of. I was furious that I couldn’t spend the money; after all, it was MINE. Watching my cousin ride the electric scooter he bought with his Communion cash caused me to feel true envy toward another person for the very first time. My jealousy was undeniably caused by this money—the same cash that promised me joy and happiness from all the goodies I would spend it on. My experience reminds me of Walter Lee’s feelings toward the $10,000 that Mama is waiting for in the mail. He has big ideas for this income and wants so badly for his plans to come to life. “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…” This quote from the second scene of the first act of the play demonstrates Walter’s unrelenting desire to put this money towards owning a liquor store. Walter feels like he is not being heard and that his ideas for this money are not being properly considered by his family. Walter so badly wants to be the provider for his family and their disapproval of his enthusiasm for the liquor business leaves him feeling helpless. I too felt helpless when I was denied the use of my money, especially when my Mom deemed the matter unnegotiable like Mama did to Walter Lee. Travis, although the youngest member of the family, plays an important
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