A Raisin in the Sun - The Generation Gap

A Raisin in the Sun
Lorraine Hansberry

"Because [money] is life, Mama!" (Hansberry 74).

With this phrase, Walter finally reveals his obsession with his fortune during his dispute with Mama at the end of the first act. This fight does not only concretely reveal Walter's motives behind his actions in life, but it also shows the generation gap that exists between Mama and her children.

In Mama's earlier days, "freedom used to be life," and she cannot comprehend the obsession with success that both of her children possess (Hansberry 74). Coming from the threat of death and constant racial prejudices, Mama finds the freedom of the northern city of Chicago to be sufficient for her happiness in life as it was for her late husband. Her children, on the other hand, see money as the new path to success and feel they need to have money in order to have any sense of happiness in life.

Hansberry juxtaposes these two ideas in order to show the change in values of the racial minority as their rights and qualities of living increased. Imbedding a political and social issue within the dialogue of her characters, the author is able to draw the attention of the reader to concerns outside of the play.

But this is not the only misunderstanding that exists between the generations. There is also a difference in belief that occurs solely between Mama and Beneatha. Beneatha's denial of religion is incredibly shocking to her mother, a woman who has deeply rooted religious beliefs that were common of the older generation. However, Beneatha has discovered the concept of humanism that suggests that humans are the highest beings and our actions are a result of our own choosing and not the intervention of a divine being. This dispute, although very debated, eventually ends with a concession by Beneatha at the request of her mother.