A Raisin in the Sun Summary

Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun portrays an African American family during the 1950s in conflict over money. Walter, Benita, and Ruth were the main characters that showed there greed over Mama’s deceased husband insurance money. This subject became a dilemma with the Younger family. There were arguments, fights, and people becoming stressed over something that were not theirs. The greed of money almost tore the Younger family apart.

Each family member’s selfish desire for the use of the deceased father’s insurance money conflicted with the family common good and produced calamitous consequences for the family.

The Younger family faced many consequences once the money arrived. Walter was the most selfish one out of the family. He wanted the money all to himself. Walter had this dream of opening up a liquor store. Once mama trusted Walter with the money he went and blew it, which caused the family to lose all of the money.

By Walter acting this way over money, he made his self look as if he had an addiction for money, which made him seem greedy for wealth.

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Benita and Ruth also displayed greed toward the father’s insurance money. Benita wanted to attend medical school, get a good paying job and live the American dream, but she was only looking out for herself. As a result of her selfish ways she didn’t receive the money that was intended for her to put towards her tuition for school. Ruth on the other hand was characterized as being greedy.

She wanted to move in a house that had more rooms than they could afford, before the check came. Even though the house would have been comfortable for everyone, she was just looking at it being a bigger and better place to live. As a conclusion, a Raisin in the Sun analysis Lorraine Hansberry portrays how selfishness and greed can destroy a family. The Younger family had multiple members that could have caused there family to fall apart over money. Walter, Benita, and Ruth all had their own idea on how they wanted to spend the insurance money.

But all of their ideas were self-centered for their own needs or wants. Money is not the key to happiness. Some novels and plays portray the consequences that occur when individuals pursue their own personal good at the expense of the common good of the group or society. Choose such a novel or play, and write a well organized essay that explains how the interests of a character or group of characters conflict with the common good and produces dire consequences for another group or society. Avoid plot summary.