A Raisin in the Sun (pages 435-455)

The play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is a story of a family who is under such money pressures that they have to make smart decisions on how they spend their money. Question four asks what pressures in the play may compel a person in the story to take action that they would not normally take. Ruth feels these money pressures and denies her son, Travis, fifty cents that is imperative for him to have at school. When Walter learns that his wife is withholding money from their son he, "Hands [Travis] the coin, but his eyes are directed to his wife's" (Hansberry, 441). Walter is feeling pressure to act as though his family is not in the need of money in order to preserve their son's innocence. Later on Walter even chastises his wife for releasing this information to their son. This family lacks the money to pay for their son's small fees at school, but Walter is still compelled to give his son money in order to maintain the feeling of an "ordinary" family. Walter is so focused on acquiring money that he tends to act as though this family has plenty of money to throw around. If Walter continues to make these foolish decisions, they may not have the money in the future to help Travis out with his tiny expenses. This family is has external conflicts of economic pressure that causes them to make decisions that go against each parents decisions.