A Raisin In The Sun American Dream Essay - 1669 Words

The United States is recognized as the â€Å"land of the free† and home of the â€Å"American Dream.† According to James Truslow Adams in Epic of America, the American Dream is defined as â€Å"that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.† It is based on the foundations of the Declaration of Independence: the rights to Liberty, Life, and the Pursuit of Happiness (Amadeo, What is the American Dream?). People have the right to pursue their dreams and acquire a better life through sheer effort and motivation. At the time of the American Dream’s creation in 1931, the main people were white male property owners. The rights were extended to slaves and†¦show more content†¦Her independent attitude conflicts with her dependency on her brother and mother’s money to pay for medical school. At this time, the American Dream did not include assistan ce in higher education. But Beneatha comes to an acceptance with her dependence and uses it as a motivator to become more independent and achieve her aspirations in her own way. Nonetheless, Beneatha represents the steps towards a true American Dream of achieving a person’s aspirations through hard work and determination. One of the major conflicts in the play is power struggle between Mama and Walter due to the difference in their view of the American Dream, as shown in the following dialogue, MAMA (quietly): Oh (Very quietly.) So now it’s life. Money is life. Once upon a time freedom used to be life now it’s money. I guess the world really do change†¦ WALTER: No it was always money, Mama. We just didn’t know about it (Hansberry 1567). To Walter, the American Dream was more focused on material wealth. He believed that money would solve all of their problems. Walter had a one-track mind towards his investment in a liquor store and did not listen to his family’s opinions or problems. Walter believed that he could support his family by himself if he has the sufficient funds. To Walter, money could pay off Beneatha’s medical school fees, fix his marriage with Ruth, and make his sonShow MoreRelatedA Raisin in the Sun American Dream Essay707 Words   |  3 Pages2011 Your Version of Success In the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry you go back in time to when segregation was still aloud. In this play you meet a cast of people with dreams of a better life. The American Dream, to be specific. This dream is portrayed differently for each character, all of which impact the play. Two of these character `s are Walter Lee Younger and Lena Younger. 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