Fear In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

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A Brief Essay on The Power of Fear By: Myckael Franklin Fear. It drives us, shapes our societies and our beliefs. It even controls us, causing us to make rash decisions and bad judgments. Without a doubt, the fictional character Walter Lee Younger from Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in The Sun embodies that mentality, giving birth to the unspoken truth of fear’s hold on our minds. Looking at Walter, his drive to live up to and fulfill his father’s dreams, his blind trust seemingly out of desperation, and his delinquent behavior, one could see how it all originates from his fear, fear for the future of his family. Walter Lee Younger had some big shoes to fill. His father, in a sense, sacrificed his life for his family, worked himself to death for twenty years. As Walter said, “That money,” the insurance money, ”was made out of my father’s flesh-”(128). Big Walter’s commitment to his family was so total, the money really was his last gift to the family, the only thing left to them besides the apartment and fading…show more content…
When the check came, and Mama put the money down on the house, he said to her bitterly, intending to cause as much pain as possible, “So you butchered up a dream of mine—you—who always talking ‘bout your children’s dreams...”(95) Yes, he was upset, but there’s a limit to what you can do and say before it turns intentional. He gave up on his dreams, much like Beneatha did later on, and because of that, he lost his conviction. He didn’t go to work for 3 days, instead took Willy Harris’ car and drove off places, and went to the Green Hat and got drunk, for three days. Almost lost his job, putting his family into deeper trouble than it already was. “Ain’t that a sad, ain’t that cryin’ sad,”(104) was his only comment. Like he couldn’t have cared less, as if his only world now was the bedroom and the contents of whatever bottle he had with

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