Raisin Blog 5

A Raisin in the Sun
Lorraine Hansberry


As I read A Raisin in the Sun, I found myself not really taking much of a liking to Walter Jr. However, Hansberry made me reconsider my opinion of him at the end of the story. When Travis and his father, Walter Jr., are having a conversation about Travis' dreams, I realized that Walter really wanted nothing but the best for his son. When Walter asks Travis what his dreams are, Travis replies: " I don't know then. I can't make up my mind. Sometimes Mama asks me that too. And sometimes when I tell her I just want to be like you- she says she don't want me to be like that and sometimes she says she does..." (Hansberry, 502). This shows that even Walter Jr.'s wife would like for Travis to aim for large dreams. Walter Jr. wants to provide for his family so Travis can have the ability to do whatever he wants to do with his life. Since Walter Jr. could not achieve all of his dreams, I think he wants to vicarioulsy achieve dreams through his son. Walter Jr. wants to give Travis the life he never had. Since Walter Jr. was cheated out of his own money, his motivation for succeeding is now Travis. If Walter Jr. did not have a son, I am not sure whether or not he would be as driven to find a better life for himself. If Travis were to tell his dad that he wants to be just like him, then Walter Jr. wants to make sure he has made something of himself that he is not ashamed of.