Dreams in A Raisin in the Sun is a reoccurring concept that repeatedly shows itself in the story. It propels each person’s drive and motivation to continue onwards. For example, Mama’s dream is of living in a big home and being able to tend to the large yard ruth‘s dream is to have a happy and content family which she believes is achieved through getting a bigger home. We also see Walter‘s dream of being rich and wealthy like the people that he drives around on the daily. He wants to give his family the best life possible one that he never had though, is dashed as he does not have a good enough job to do so Mama lives her dream out in the play as they eventually do obtain the larger home. She shows her constant drive towards this dream through the ways of the plant Mama’s relationship to the plant shows a relationship of how she would take care of the lawn at their house. From Act 1 Scene 1 Mama‘s stage directions.
“She crosses through the room, and goes to the window. opens it. and brings in a feeble little plant growing doggedly in a small pot on the windowsill. She feels the dirt and puts it back out.” This small detail shows so much and how determined Mama is about her dream; Un swayed by the hostile and infertile soil she pushes on to make a difference for her family. Walter’s dream is of being wealthy just as the people that he drives around daily. His dream is driven by the want to give his family everything that he never had: wealth and freedom walter is unfortunately trapped in his boring and mundane complex because of his nowhere job. Throughout the story, his understanding of his dream of gaining material wealth changes, and by the end, it is no longer his top priority. The primary event is Walt losing the money to Willy which leaves him and his family in a large spiral.
When Walt is left penniless, he is at first bitter and wants to give the home to Mr. Lindler understands the fact that there are more important things than money such as family. Ruth’s dream is like Mama’s in the fact that she wants a bigger home to raise the family however, is met with conflict with Walter‘s dream of owning a liquor shop. Act 2 scene 1, “Honey… life don’t have to be like this. I mean sometimes people can do things so that things are better. You remember how we used to talk when Travis was born… about the way we were going to live… the kind of house… Well, it’s all starting to slip away from us.”
Ruth here shows her sadness and the feeling of losing her family which she so wants to “recapture“ by getting a newer, and larger home. Dream is a reoccurring theme that appears repeatedly throughout the play to each respective individual. Mama and her dream for a larger home lived out the most through her plant. Walter’s desire to provide for his family through the purchase of acquiring a liquor shop. and Ruth‘s dream of having a whole family wanting and obtaining a large home. Each of these objects or ideas propelled each person’s motivations and desires to continue onwards in their boring and mundane lives inside the apartment with travis having to sleep on the family living room couch.
