As Beneatha grows, Mama tries to be a guide and wishes that her daughter does not acquire depraved values. She does not find it normal to sell drinks to people and have this business being mentioned on her ledger (Hansberry 539).Īs it is later seen, she is right about Walter’s ambitions – un-Christian businesses are no place for righteous men. She always says that opening a liquor store does not align with Christian principles. She is a symbol of old values that are being forgotten in contemporary society. Although it is tempting to name Walter a protagonist of the play, it is Mama who acts as a leader and the most vital person in keeping the Youngers family from falling apart. The story revolves around Walter Lee, his wrong and correct decisions, his strain to support his family, and his ambition to pull the Youngers out of the financial struggle. They move into the neighborhood, and although the future seems uncertain, they are confident that they can achieve all of their goals if they stay together and help each other. Despite this news, the Youngers do not accept the proposal of their future neighbors. Meanwhile, Walter proceeds with his plan of opening a liquor store and gives the rest of the money to his friend, who runs away with it. When future neighbors hear about a black family moving into the community, they decide to offer the family money so that they do not move in. As each of the family members prove their points, Mama makes a down payment for a house, which located in an entirely white neighborhood (Hansberry 540). There is disagreement throughout the play on how to use the money. Mama’s daughter, Beneatha, wants to go to a medical school and would want to spend the money to cover the tuition fees.

His wife, Ruth, however, supports the idea of his mother about moving to a larger house. Her son, Walter Lee, dreams about opening a liquor store with his friends (Hansberry 534).

The head of the family, Mama, dreams about “buying that house and fixing it up and make me a little garden in the back” (Hansberry 540). While each of the family members thinks about his or her own way of spending the money, their common idea is based on racial prejudice and black pride. The play covers a few weeks of the family’s life, and the story starts with the family members waiting for 10,000 dollars from an insurance company – the senior member of the family, Mr. Plot SummaryĪ Raisin in the Sun is a depiction of the life of an African American family living in Chicago of the 1950s. Therefore, Mama is the protagonist, and Walter is the antagonist. However, Mama’s guidance, support, and perspective are the most vital for the preservation of the family. At first glance, the role of the mother is limited, and Walter Lee is both a protagonist and an antagonist because much of the play orbits around him.

A raisin in the sun full play