A Raisin in the Sun is a story about an African American family trying to overcome poverty and find a place in the middle class written by Lorraine Hansberry. The main plot which the reader can identify in the first half of the work is the conflict between the sixty-year-old Mama and her son, Walter. The author describes the situation of a family consisting of a mother, her two younger children, and the eldest son with his wife and son. They all live in a tiny apartment, and the situation is worsened by the second pregnancy of Walter’s wife. However, Mama will soon receive insurance payment for her husband’s death, so family members have plans for this money. Walter is looking to improve his family’s situation and wants to invest in the sale of liquor. However, Mama argues with him about such an occupation’s ethics and prefers to spend money on buying a house and paying for her daughter’s education. Thus, against the backdrop of developing events, Hansberry describes several of the main problems associated with the family.
In the first half, the reader is introduced to the main characters and the central conflict, as well as the themes of the play. Hansberry illustrates how racism makes it difficult for African American families to achieve financial well-being. For example, Walter disputes the need for education several times, even with his sister studying to be a doctor. African American members of society are often portrayed as workers, unable to enter the middle class. Walter seems to be subordinate to the opinion, trying to follow the path of the American dream. He is probably reckless since he is more eager to acquire a certain status in society than to improve his family’s position. Thus, instead of hard work, he prefers to dream of becoming an entrepreneur and starting a business.
The first part of the play also focuses on revealing the relationship between the family members. The reader is exposed to the characters’ attitude to their current situation and the nature of their interaction. For the most part, the family suffers from Walter’s inability to provide for its well-being and his class, racial and gender prejudices. However, the first half also raises questions of faith, African American connections to Africa, and the racial community’s position in society.