Raisin Blog Post 3

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

1. In literature, as in life, a character may search for a better way of life. Show how two characters from A Raisin in the Sunare searching for a better way of life. Explain what each character is hoping to gain through this search and discuss the ways in which each character attempts to bring about a change in his or her life. 

--and--

MOTIVATION: the reasons for a character's behavior

There are two main characters that stand out to me as searching for a better way of life in A Raisin in the Sun--Walter and Beneatha. The brother and sister that could not be more different in any way, but still have similar aspirations and character traits. Walter is hoping to gain more financial stability for his family through his search and Beneatha is hoping to find financial independence and also some of her heritage through her search. Walter wishes to open a liquor store with two of his sketchy friends. He wants to use the money from his father's passing. I think there could be better ways for him to achieve this. Walter believes that, "don't nothing happen for you in this world 'less you pay somebody off!" (Hansberry 33) He cannot think of any other way to make a secure financial future other than this liquor store and he has his mind set on it. Beneatha, on the other hand, has the motivation to be completely independent. She is going to school and trying to do something with her life and not just spend all her time trying to find a husband. She wants something to fall back on, which I find very admirable. Not very many women at this time had the drive to do anything other than being a mother and a wife. She is very stubborn and has, according to many (Mama and Ruth), views that do not fall into the norm. Both characters have plenty of motivation and spunk about their search for a better way of life and seem to not want to stop at anything until they attain these goals.