The American Dream And The Sun - 1075 Words

The American Dream and â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† America is the land of the free where there is ample opportunities for individuals to achieve any goals they put effort into obtaining. Many individuals immigrate to America to have the American Dream that is offered to all its citizens. The dream of owning their own house, having a job that gives them the opportunity to move up the career ladder, financial stability, having a family, owning a car, ability to receive an education, and having freedom and equality. Is this American Dream really attainable for everyone? Some groups of American citizens seem less likely to ever achieve this dream even if they work hard. Society and their circumstances are against them either because of†¦show more content†¦In â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† by Lorraine Hansberry, the Younger’s cannot fully achieve the American Dream due to societal obstacles they experience based on their race when trying to obtain a good paying job, buying a house and receiving an education. For the Younger family, having a good paying job is a part of their American Dream, but sadly they have a difficult time trying to achieve this aspect of the dream due to their race. Most African Americans during the 1950’s made significantly less money than White Americans. â€Å"The average black household income in 1955 ($2,890) was 55 percent of that of white households ($5,228)† (Fuller par. 4). This difference in income was because of the jobs that were open for colored individuals. Like Mama, Ruth and Walter, most Blacks had service jobs that usually served Whites. For instance, Walter is a chauffeur for a white man. This low paying job barely allows him to provide for his family and definitely does not fulfill his American Dream. Walter states â€Å"I open and close car doors all day long. I drive a man around in his limousine†¦. That ain t no kind of job†¦. Sometimes it’s like I can see the future stretched out in front of me†¦, just wait ing for me† (Hansberry 477-478). Walter aspires for a better job, which leads him to want to use Mama’s money to invest in a liquor store, but his race keeps him confined to blue-collar jobs. Back