The Value Of Dreams Essay, Research Paper

Dreams are vital to the life of every person. Without dreams, there is nothing to plan or look

forward to; therefore, no reason to live. The Younger family in A Raisin In The Sun by Lorraine

Hansberry has many dreams for the future that a $10,000 insurance check guarantees them. I

also have dreams and hopes for my future, college, a job, and a family are all things that I want

to have, some day.

Due to Walter Younger?s death, his widow, Lena Younger, receives a $10,000 insurance

check. Lena?s dream is to own her own two story house. She takes the money and uses some of

it to put a down payment on a nice little house in an all white neighborhood. This causes some

problems and conflicts, but in the end, Lena?s dream is fulfilled and she gets the home that she

and her deceased husband always wanted. Her son, Walter Younger Jr., also has great plans for

that money, even though it isn?t really his. He wanted to invest into buying a liquor store with

two buddies. Lena let him have $3,500 to do what he liked with and another $3,000 to put in a

savings account for his sister. Instead, he puts all of it into the liquor store. Then he discovers

that one of his ?friends? took off with the money, all of it. His dream of providing a better life

for his family is shattered. Lena also plans to help her daughter, Beneatha, get an education so

that she can fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor. Bennie?s dream is not really taken seriously

by anyone since black doctors are unheard of, much less a female black doctor. Still, her mother

believed in Bennie and supported her by giving her $3,000 of her check by way of having Walter

Jr. put it in the bank for her. Unfortunately, he put it all into his dream instead and lost her

future along with his. Ruth?s only wish was for everyone to be happy and for her life to be

peaceful. In a way, her dream came true because in the end, everybody was satisfied and excited

about moving into their new home. Travis only wanted to have fun and play. His childhood

innocence protected him from the problems that effected the other members of his family.

Like the Younger family, I have dreams for my future. After I graduate from high school,

I plan to go on to college and major in Psychology. I also plan to work while I am in college to

pay for my education. After I get my degree, I hope to get a job at a hospital or clinic and help

the mentally ill. Once I am established in my work, I would like to get married, if I haven?t

already, and have a few kids. If one or all of my dreams don?t come true, the effect could be

quite detrimental to me. So, dreams are very important to a person?s well being. If their dreams

are not fulfilled, the effects could be disastrous.