Thesis on "American Dream in a Raisin"

Thesis 4 pages (1191 words) Sources: 2 Style: MLA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

American Dream in a Raisin in the Sun and Death of a Salesman

The American Dream is often portrayed as a good thing and while it is good to dream, it is also good to dream realistically. Two plays that examine the theme of the American Dream are Lorraine Hansberry's play, A Raisin in the Sun, and Arthur Miller's play, Death of a Salesman. Each of these plays provides an honest look at two families and their version of the American Dream and the difficulties they encounter in their attempts to make that dream come true. While in different settings, both plays are similar because many people share the same characteristics. Walter and Willy demonstrate how the pursuit of the American Dream is a serious effort. It is not typically achieved with fly-by-night operations or selling items on the road. These men offer us the reality attached to the American Dream. They provide an authentic look at life by illustrating how we choose to live it helps us achieve the dream of a lifetime.

In A Raisin in the Sun, we see the notion of the American Dream lived out through Lena, Beneatha, and Walter. Lena dreams of her family living in a nice home in a nice neighborhood. She views the insurance money as the perfect opportunity to make this dream come true. When Walter objects to this idea, she says, "We was going backward 'stead of forwards -- talking about killing babies and wishing each other was dead . . . When it gets like that in life -- you just got to do something different, push on out and do something bigger" (Hansberry 2238). This statement reveals Lena's life experience. She understands the difficulties in life and wants to take advantage of a good situation. Walter does not have the insight Lena does and cannot see how a nice home would benefit their family. Beneatha also dreams an American Dream. She wants to attend medical school and tells Asagai that she has always believed that helping people was the "most marvelous thing in the world" (2253). These dreams are a stark contrast to Walter's dream, which is to make money super fast in the liquor business, of which he knows nothing. Walter simply hears that Charley makes $100,000 and year and he wants to do the same thing.

In Death of a Salesman, the American Dream is seen through Willy's perspective. Willy has a notion of what the dream is but he cannot seem to get there. He takes the wrong path and refuses to go another way. Willy fails to realize his dream because of his inability to change. Willy is similar to Walter in that he will never grasp his particular dream. Walter is silly and Willy is stubborn. Willy wastes a great portion of life doing something he is only mediocre at doing. He is too old to change and expresses no desire to do so. Willy is different from Walter in that he never opens his eyes to truth; he never learns anything about his life or his mistakes. He would rather believe the lies he tells himself and his family. He tells his wife, he can "knock Howard for a loop" (Miller 1070-1) and he will get a "New York job" (1071) one of these days. He believes he will be successful and will not have to "get behind another wheel" (1071).

Both plays demonstrate the difficulties associated with attempting to achieve the American Dream. In A Raisin in the Sun, the difficulty of achieving… READ MORE

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