The Value Of Dreams Essay, Research Paper
Dreams are vital to the life of every person. Without dreams, there is nothing to plan or look
forward to; therefore, no reason to live. The Younger family in A Raisin In The Sun by Lorraine
Hansberry has many dreams for the future that a $10,000 insurance check guarantees them. I
also have dreams and hopes for my future, college, a job, and a family are all things that I want
to have, some day.
Due to Walter Younger?s death, his widow, Lena Younger, receives a $10,000 insurance
check. Lena?s dream is to own her own two story house. She takes the money and uses some of
it to put a down payment on a nice little house in an all white neighborhood. This causes some
problems and conflicts, but in the end, Lena?s dream is fulfilled and she gets the home that she
and her deceased husband always wanted. Her son, Walter Younger Jr., also has great plans for
that money, even though it isn?t really his. He wanted to invest into buying a liquor store with
two buddies. Lena let him have $3,500 to do what he liked with and another $3,000 to put in a
savings account for his sister. Instead, he puts all of it into the liquor store. Then he discovers
that one of his ?friends? took off with the money, all of it. His dream of providing a better life
for his family is shattered. Lena also plans to help her daughter, Beneatha, get an educa
that she can fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor. Bennie?s dream is not really taken seriously
by anyone since black doctors are unheard of, much less a female black doctor. Still, her mother
believed in Bennie and supported her by giving her $3,000 of her check by way of having Walter
Jr. put it in the bank for her. Unfortunately, he put it all into his dream instead and lost her
future along with his. Ruth?s only wish was for everyone to be happy and for her life to be
peaceful. In a way, her dream came true because in the end, everybody was satisfied and excited
about moving into their new home. Travis only wanted to have fun and play. His childhood
innocence protected him from the problems that effected the other members of his family.
Like the Younger family, I have dreams for my future. After I graduate from high school,
I plan to go on to college and major in Psychology. I also plan to work while I am in college to
pay for my education. After I get my degree, I hope to get a job at a hospital or clinic and help
the mentally ill. Once I am established in my work, I would like to get married, if I haven?t
already, and have a few kids. If one or all of my dreams don?t come true, the effect could be
quite detrimental to me. So, dreams are very important to a person?s well being. If their dreams
are not fulfilled, the effects could be disastrous.