Deffered Dreams

Deferred Dreams

Renay Greenwaldt

University of Phoenix, Axia College

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry conveys a hard working African American family with hopes, and dreams of success; most American families strive for. In Harlem, by Langston Hughes; the poet writes about deferred dreams; dreams sought after, and never reached. Deferred dreams happen for many reasons. Writers, Langston, and Hughes demonstrate how dreams are occasionally destroyed by the components of economics, social problems, and prejudice.

Lorraine Hansberry and Langston Hughes met in New York. Lorraine Hansberry was attending the New School for Social Research. While in school; Hansberry worked as an associate editor for Paul Robinsons Freedom, which was a radical black magazine. Langston Hughes was a famous Harlem Renaissance poet and his work had a positive influence on Lorraine Hansberry. The plays title “A Raisin in the Sun” was taken from the poem “Harlem,” (Liukkonen, 2008).

In the play; A Raisin in the Sun, each of the family members strive to make their dreams a reality. Each member in the family displays a burning desire to achieve greatness. The character, Mama or Lena Younger, hopes to see; each of her family members wants, needs, and dreams fulfilled. She works diligently to keep everyone and every aspect of family woven together. Mama sacrifices her lifelong dreams of owning a house and growing a garden to support the needs and desires of her family. Mama is expecting a large sum of money in the amount of $10,000 from an insurance settlement. She has a dream of buying a house in Clybourne Park. When mama obtains her settlement of $10,000 her dreams soon dry up because her son Walter has a dream of owning a business and gaining success. Walter gives the money to a man named Willie Harris, who suddenly disappears. Willie disappeared with the money and left Walter and his family with broken dreams. Walters dream of owning a liquor...