Essay on The Transformation of a Dream Deferred by...

In Langston Hughes’ poem, A Dream Deferred, Hughes wonders what happens to a dream that does not come true. He writes, â€Å"Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?† In A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, Walter shows that his deferred dream does both. Early in the play, he shares his hopes and dreams for his family and their future with his young son, Travis. He imagines that earning his fortune will cure all the shortcomings and injustices in their lives. The limitations of Walter’s aspirations for himself and his family undermine his ability to save his family. Walter’s acceptance of unjust systems, which makes one man â€Å"master† and another one â€Å"servant,† compromises the power of Walter’s dream. By showing that†¦show more content†¦Walter’s behavior in this passage is self-absorbed and childish, and Hansberry highlights the problems in several ways. For example, Walter’s t rails off when he refers to â€Å"a business transaction† that his son â€Å"would not understand.† This moment suggests that Walter does not really have interest in his young son, who he claims to be helping. Hansberry has already shown in the play that young Travis may understand quite a bit about business. After all, toward the start of the play, Travis urgently asks his mother to give him the money he needs to make a donation to his class. Travis is well aware that money can open doors and create advantages for people, and he is much more developed than his father realizes. Similarly, Hansberry shows Walter’s shallowness by removing any curiosity or questions from his speech. Walter never asks Travis what his own dream might be. Instead, Walter pushes a his dream down Travis’s throat, and imagines that Travis will happily play the role that Walter has cast him in. Additionally, the speech makes no reference to the possible downfalls of pursuing money. Walter seems to forget Mama Younger’s famous remark, when she reminds him that â€Å"freedom was everything.† Of course,Show MoreRelatedLangston Hughes Poetry Analysis Essay1287 Words   |  6 PagesArt is the illusion in which we see the truth- Pablo Picasso Langston Hughes clearly connects with a wide range of audiences through the simplicity that surrounds his poetry. The beauty of this manner in which he wrote his poetry, is that it grasp people by illustrating his narratives of the common lifestyles experienced by the current American generation. His art form expresses certain questionable ideologies of life and exposes to the audience what it takes to fully comprehend what being anRead MoreLangston Hughes : Jazz Poetry And Harlem Renaissance1212 Words   |  5 PagesLangston Hughes Jazz Poetry and Harlem Renaissance Langston Hughes was an African American poet who was born on 01 February 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. His parents separated and later divorced during his childhood. Subsequently he was raised predominantly by his maternal grandmother. His grandparents were politically active and supporters of the abolition of slavery. They were activists in the movement for voting rights for African Americans. Through their active involvement in his upbringingRead MoreSummary Of A Raisin Of The Sun 2918 Words   |  12 Pages Inciting Incident – When the $10,000 insurance check from Big Walter’s death arrives, each family member’s conflicting dreams leads to them disagree on how to use the money. Walter wants to become a business owner by investing the money in a liquor store with friends, Beneatha wants to use the money to pay for her medical school tuition, and Mama and Ruth have the shared dream of purchasing a house to get the family out of their cramped quarters. c. Events contributing to rising action – Without