May 25, 2011 Response

     My personal conception of the American Dream is the idea that, by mere virtue of the fact that you live in America, you automatically possess the potential to accomplish any goal you set for yourself…as long as you have the work ethic and personal drive to achieve that desire. In the case of Britney Spears, she represents the American Dream because she grew up like every other girl. However, slowly but surely, with dedication and hard work, she eased her way into fame and success, and is now a renowned name in America. In our country, you don’t have to be born into wealth and success in order to be wealthy and successful.

     I think that Will Smith’s clip from Pursuit of Happiness is applicable to the Younger’s in Raisin in the Sun. Smith is assuring the little boy that no one has the right to tell him that he can’t do something. He states, “You got a dream? You gotta protect it” and claims that although people will attempt to crush the little boy’s dreams, he can’t lose sight of his passion. This is similar to the play because of the situation at the end when Lindner claims to the Younger’s, “the people of Clybourne Park believe…that our Negro families are happier when they live in their own communities” (118) and that the family cannot move there. However, the Younger’s family does not let Lindner push them around and instead refuses to move. Like Will Smith’s message, they do not let Lindner get in the way of their goal, which in this case, is a right to freedom and a right to overcome oppression. However, there are issues, both within the Younger’s family and outside of their control, which I think hinder the Younger’s chances at fully fulfilling their dreams. Within the family, there appears to be an immense amount of obsession over money. For instance, when they finally receive the check for ten thousand dollars, they become obsessive, impatient, and controlling. Mama states, “Now don’t act silly…we ain’t never been no people to act silly ‘bout no money” and Ruth exclaims, “We ain’t never had none before – OPEN IT!” (68). They seem to think that this money is the only way to accomplish their goals in life, thus losing sight of the American Dream, which involves hard work and dedication. I think another big issue within their family, and theme throughout the entire play, is the presence of female oppression. Walter was always discouraging Beneatha about becoming a doctor, stating, “If you so crazy ‘bout messing ‘round with sick people – then go be a nurse like other women – or just get married and be quiet…” (38). Walter discourages Beneatha from her dreams and thus sets the entire family back from possibly making money and becoming successful.
     On the other hand, outside factors from their family unit also played a huge role in preventing the Younger’s from achieving their ultimate goal, like the constant racism and discrimination. Not only were there bombings because of racial differences, but Lindner even offered to pay the Younger’s more money than what their newly bought house was worth just so that they didn’t have to live there anymore, as the house was in an “all-white” neighborhood. These incidences left the Younger’s in a vulnerable, helpless position, where they were oppressed based off of the color of their skin. Even when Lindner was speaking with the family, he constantly referenced them in a negative manner as “you people,” subjugating them to an entirely different category than others.

     I honestly tried to look at the end of the play as offering hope and a happy ending. Initially, when the end started to wrap up, I thought it was going to go downhill, like when Beneatha second-guessed her decisions at becoming a doctor. She stated that there “isn’t any real progress…there is only one large circle that we march in” (134), indicating that society has essentially hit a wall, and that racism will never be overcome. However, Asagai then tells his story about Africa, stating how slowly a progressive movement can take, when he states, “I will teach and work and things will happen, slowly and swiftly” (135). Mama also starts to clean up the house and states that she “sees things differently now.” This could be taken in a negative way, but I like to think that the Younger’s family has realized that such a big movement (overcoming racism) will not happen overnight. Walter’s statement at the end was one of the most important statements in the play, in my opinion, when he states, “Well – what I mean is that we come from people who had a lot of pride” (148) and he describes how his sister will become a doctor and how successful their family will become. This reminds me of the poems we looked at yesterday and the pride that was so evident in each work. If I were to see a sequel to this play, I think that each character would be in a better place. I think that Beneatha would go to Africa with Asagai and become a doctor there, and build self-worth by seeing the slow changes she brings to their country. I think Walter will work a job and slowly make enough money to fend for him and his family. Overall, I feel their family will be less obsessive with money and more positive in the idea of a social movement. Although faith seemed to almost be lost after Lindner’s visit, I think it will slowly rebuild because of the Younger’s pride.

     Unfortunately, today, I feel like the American Dream is more than just a work ethic and optimism. Although we are better off than many places, when we look at the facts: 1 out of 7 people in our country are food insecure and many have lost their jobs. Today, I feel like it takes the right combination of a positive attitude, creativity, and education to mold success, because everything gets increasingly competitive each year. People who are extraordinarily smart and talented are losing jobs just because of the economic downfall. Knowledge and creativity play a huge role in surviving the economy. My dad always jokes about “learning to play your cards right” in regards to pursuing a career, but he is honestly right. Everything needs to be carefully planned out, with plans A, B, C, and D, because it’s a dog-eat-dog country and you’ll most likely resort to plan E anyway.