Raisin Review by Audra Brackbill

2025-04-17 15:53:31 UTC

Willy

Losing his ambition
Living in the past

Walter

Overambitious
Living in the future

Both

Want to be rich
Want things to be easy for them and their families

2025-04-17 15:54:58 UTC

Walter and Willy are two sides of the same coin. Willy is the take take take side of capitalism infested with greed while Walter is attempting to be a family man (albeit poorly) and trying to support his whole family rather than himself (at least that is what he is saying, his actions show differently). They both want that MONAYYY

Willy's view of success is tied to popularity and validations, and walter is centered on financial independence and social status. Both characters are deeply rooted in their families and driven by ambition.

2025-04-17 15:55:40 UTC

2025-04-17 15:56:07 UTC

Both feel suffocated by their positions in life, economically and socially. They both ultimately spiral a bit but Walter is able to pull himself out of that and make a hard decision for his family. Willy gives into his despair. They both have big ideals and dreams that are not super realistic and as a result lose sight of what is really going on in front of them.

2025-04-17 15:57:59 UTC

I think the simile that best fits the play is "or fester like a sore--and then run?"

Throughout the whole play money and the American dream is an issue that just festers. It is ever present and always is on the Younger family's minds. This happens until the very end where they all just say screw it and leave.

2025-04-17 15:58:06 UTC

The American dream is different for black people because of the lack of equality within the time frame that this takes place. While the white people have been established and view each other as equals, they have not gotten over the racism that existed. Black people were not only striving for the same thing that white people wanted, but also wanted the equality and treatment that white people had.

2025-04-17 15:58:12 UTC

Because black people were seen as lesser than their white counterparts, they were considered "less deserving" of opportunity. As seen in the play, the Younger family struggles with things as simple as accomodation for their entire family, and Beneatha's dreams of being a doctor often have to be pushed to the side in favor of the family's needs. This was much different than the lives of white people, as they typically didn't live in multi-generation households and could support their children's dreams while still providing for their families.

Hayden

2025-04-17 15:58:17 UTC

The pursuit of the American dream seemed to be equal for everyone from the white people's eyes but in reality, there isn't an equality in the pursuit. In this case, black people aren't able to move into many houses due to neighborhoods being predominantly white and white people not wanting them to live with them. This forces many of them to take the money and stay in the slums or move in with the white people and risk the violence they could face.

2025-04-17 15:58:34 UTC

I think the fester like a sore is the best simile to describe A Raisin in the Sun because of the tension between relationships that build throughout the show. Each character has a tendency to make subtle insults towards each other which often lead to heated yelling matches and with one person leaving the house abruptly. This connects best to fester like a sore since it seems like every character has a tinge of hatred behind their opinions on one another

2025-04-17 15:58:49 UTC

I would say the simile from Harlem that best represents the play, despite the title, is festering like a wound. The problems with the family start out small and build up throughout the entire play. Till they become really bad when Walter loses all the money, and there dreams are crushed. But just like a normal wound, as they slowly heal as a family, the family's dreams are able to come back in a more healthy manner.

2025-04-17 15:59:09 UTC

It is indefinitely more difficult to pursue the American Dream as a black person, as illustrated in A Raisin in the Sun The Youngers are unable to achieve the dreams that they all, especially Walter and Beneatha, have largely as a result of their economic status--which is influenced by racial prejudices. If they were a white family they would not have been encouraged to stay out of Clybourne Park and it would have likely been much easier for all of them to receive opportunities.

2025-04-17 15:59:37 UTC

Walter and Willy are both persistent in their pursuit of the American Dream at certain expenses. Walters expense comes from himself and his family the way he pushes their dreams aside to bet everything on the one he seems better. Willy on the other hand, wants to keep everything he has and constantly pushes his children to do better.

CoMpArE aNd CoNtRaSt -Sergio Garcia

2025-04-17 15:59:54 UTC

Willy struggles with just trying to barely make enough and support the family and being disciplined enough to stick with it. So he is someone who struggles with trying to make money. Walter also wants to make money to support his family, but Walter is more emotional I would say. So both want to chase money, and they both are not living the happiest lives, they want life to be easier.

2025-04-17 15:59:54 UTC

Willy Loman became blind to his dream and gave in to his desire for wealth.

Walter Lee is forced to think about his family, even though he is very self-centered and ambitious as well.

2025-04-17 16:01:26 UTC

I think the sore analogy is the most accurate to the story because of the specific actions that Walter took throughout the story and how his judgement and opinions and later on, actions compounded and made it worse and worse, ultimately putting significant strain onto the family when it came to making decisions that would be beneficial for the rest of them.

2025-04-17 16:02:36 UTC

The extent to which white and black people can pursue the "American Dream" is that it is easier to attain it as a white person than black people due to the limitation of racial and societal inequality they faced during that time. In retrospect, black people had a harder time to pursue the American Dream due to those limitations.

2025-04-17 16:02:36 UTC

I think the simile from "Harlem" that best fits with A Raisin in the Sun is "fester like a sore--And then run." All of the characters have dreams that in some way or another are suffocated. As the play develops the dreams are brought up and then pushed down again in a cycle. Eventually all of the repression and passion for the dreams results in almost an explosion of emotions and the conflict among the family. They cannot ignore the dreams and they keep continuously running into all parts of all the family members' lives.

American dream

2025-04-17 16:03:38 UTC

They are both striving for the easier life, everyone is striving for money, because they think it'll lead to comfort and an easier life. This play highlights how much more difficult this is for people of color compared to white people. We see this in racism, for example when Johnson was racist EVEN to her own color, and the unaccomplished black family.

2025-04-17 16:04:39 UTC

The pursuit of the American dream is much more difficult to achieve for black people than for white people. The Youngers are delayed/disallowed in achieving this dream due to the social expectations that black people will stay out of "white neighborhoods" and won't try to advance their education/career. Moreover, these expectations of "staying in the slums" are forced on to them through Karl Lindner. While in Death of a Salesman, the Lomans are kept down for sake of Willy's character rather than race.

Hayden

2025-04-17 16:04:41 UTC

I believe the most accurate comparison is the fester like a sore. In this case the family's dream is to move into a house to fit everyone and this lived with them even after the fathers death and almost tore the family apart when Walter was saying they should take the money over the dream. Personally I would take the money because I'm sure it was a good bit.

2025-04-17 16:04:45 UTC

I think Beneatha's dreams specifically stink like rotten meat as the play goes on. Her brother already disapproves of her ambitions because it's costing the family money to send her to school. The idea of a black female doctor stinks to him. He doesn't think she'll be able to find a job even if she graduates. By the end, Beneatha is grasping at straws in order to achieve her dream, since Asagai invites her to practice medicine in Africa. But her family simply ignores her or brushes her off, laughing at her ridiculous ideas. The rotten meat has become so disgusting that nobody wants to touch it anymore. No one wants to acknowledge its existence or think about throwing it away. For Beneatha, she can't stop smelling it. It's stuck in her head.

2025-04-17 16:04:59 UTC

I would say it is more difficult to pursue the American dream as a person of color. Back then, people of color were subjected to more hate and fewer opportunities compared to the white community. Because of this, their priorities are different and may focus on ¨trying to get by¨ instead of living a luxurious lifestyle.

2025-04-17 16:05:33 UTC

The American dream is different between white and black people because black people didn't have rights like the white's did, so while the black people dreamed of having the same rights as the white, white people already had what they want and i feel that they wanted more money.

2025-04-17 16:05:57 UTC

Both Walter and Willy are searching for the american dream in their own right, and it tears them apart. Both become distanced from their family in an attempt to make their family's lives better. Willy and Walter both want to make something of themselves in this world. But Walter is willing to take risks and pushes for them, whereas Willy is scared of risks.

Sergio

2025-04-17 16:07:13 UTC

I think that sagging like a heavy load is the most accurate. This is because this play highlights the difficulty in life for all the characters it's like a heavy burden. One example of when we see this is when Asagai and Benetha describe life as a line without end, showing the meaninglessness of life, it's just like a heavy load is holding them back from reaching the end of the line, it's too hard, and never ending.

2025-04-17 16:07:25 UTC

The American Dream is almost the same for both groups. But white people have more resources to be able to achieve there dreams, whereas black people have to fight to get to the same point.

Hayden

2025-04-17 16:07:40 UTC

Willy wanted to give his family money and wanted them to be successful but he measured that through money. Meanwhile, Walter also measured success through money but in the end he didn't give into his thoughts and instead chose better parenting.

2025-04-17 16:08:48 UTC

Walter

ambition to be successful
invested into his family

Willy

ambition to be well-liked
Willy's relentless pursuit of validation and leads to his downfall (and death)

Both

they both have ambition
frustrated over their dreams

2025-04-17 16:09:23 UTC

I would say "festers like a sore" would suit the play the most. The families problems and insecurities slowly catches up to them.

-lahari

2025-04-17 16:09:54 UTC

Willy Loman and Walter Lee attempt to be the "man of the household," but both fall flat in their ability to provide security, financially and emotionally. Both of their own ambitions crowd their family's own pursuits, ultimately leading to a selfish use of the type of power they have as a man over the women in their life. Contrasting though, Walter finally makes a good decision for his family, while Willy leaves them behind.

2025-04-17 16:10:18 UTC

The simile is sagging heavy represents the whole family well. The heavy weight of finiances is overbearing and too much for them.

2025-04-21 17:09:26 UTC

Both - Willy and Walter both have an ambition for success or money. They only ever focus on success or money. They both have a vision of how life should be and no one can ever really convince them otherwise. It's kind of funny how their initials are both W.L. Both can be jerks to their family.

Willy - More focused on the past and the future rather than present. Believed that success was the end all be all. Had super high expectations for his children/family. Didn't see hope for the future and gave up.

Walter - Focused on the future rather than present. Focused on money rather than fame and focused on being able to live the American Dream. Kept going despite hard circumstances and eventually just stood up for his beliefs (standing up against racism by moving to the white neighborhood).

2025-04-21 17:20:18 UTC

I think for white people, the American Dream is being able to do your dream job, and either become rich and successful or at least make enough money to live a comfortable life from said job.

For black people, I think the American Dream is different. I think that for them, the American Dream is just having the same rights, opportunities, jobs, etc that white people have. I think they just want the same chance to be able to make a living that white people have.