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A Raisin in the Sun, a la Shmoop. Misery really loves company. Chances are,

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every time you've spilled your tale of woe to a friend, he or she has countered with

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an even more tragic story of their own.

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We're not sure how it happens, but these conversations inevitably snowball into a polite contest

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of sunburn vs. sinus infections, ailing aunts vs. colicky cousins…

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But no matter how horrific the other person's problems are, we secretly know that ours are

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way worse. The Younger family in Lorraine Hansberry's

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A Raisin in the Sun has plenty to complain about. Hard-working Mama is getting a huge

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insurance check... awesome, right?

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Unfortunately, everybody wants a piece of it.

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Walter grabs the cash for himself, and loses it all, ruining the family's dreams of an

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easier life.

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If you can stand more bad news, that money was Beneatha's<<buh-neath-uh>> best chance

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at paying for med school.

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In fact, all three of these Youngers would feel at home on the cast of Les Mis, singing

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"life has killed the dream I dreamed."

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So who wins the Golden Hankie Award for the biggest sob story? Whose plump juicy dream

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most resembles Langston Hughes'… shriveled raisin?

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Beneatha's our first contender, and she's the obvious choice, here. Her friend calls

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her “Alaiyo” <Ah-lie-yo>, meaning “one for whom bread is not enough.” No, he’s not

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saying she’s not a carb addict. …

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Beneatha’s got a fiery “take no prisoners” attitude, and she’s out to change the world

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using medicine and social justice. She even cuts her hair to get back to her African roots…no

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pun intended.

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Mama was going to put away a nice chunk o’ change to give pay for Beneatha’s tuition,

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which would have given her a leg up on fulfilling her goals.

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When the family learns that Walter’s no-good buddy ran off with her college fund, Beneatha

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feels like an idiot for believing she could make a difference.

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Then there’s Walter, the man with a plan. He’s got a hot tip for a liquor store business

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that’s going to break the Youngers out of poverty, and let him quit his job as a chauffeur

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for a rich white man.

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His optimism blinds him to the flaws in this get-rich-quick scheme, and to the dirty looks

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coming from Mama and Ruth.

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Most of all, Walter wants respect. He dreams of owning a successful business which will

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give him equal standing with “The Man,” and snooty college kids like Beneatha’s

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suitor, George.

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What better way to prove all the haters wrong than with a stack of cold, hard cash?

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But then Walter makes the not-too-smart decision to trust his money to a guy named “Willy.”

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Sure, we all saw that epic fail coming, but Walter didn’t—and now his whole family

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is treating him like he’s slime mold. Good luck with that respect thing, Walt…

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You know that saying, “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy”?

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With Mama Younger, it’s more the opposite…her contentment depends on the well-being of her

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loved ones.

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She supports Beneatha’s career, even though she doubts she’ll stick with it, and believes

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that Walter is destined to become more than a white man’s employee.

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She’s such a cool mom, she even buys her peeps a house.

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Mama hopes that joining the Homeowners Club will start a legacy of prosperity for the

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entire Younger clan, especially her grandson, Travis.

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Her husband literally died so that this dream could become a reality…it’s his life insurance

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money that’s put the Youngers on Easy Street.

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Too bad her kids are so bratty. Walter sulks about money she spends, and Beneatha pokes

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fun at Mama’s religious beliefs and beloved plant. …

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…When she finally trusts her son to do the right thing, he betrays her. No wonder she

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resorts to physical violence as a parenting method.

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So who’s the winner of the “Dream Deferment” title?

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Do Beneatha’s career goals and social conscience give her the edge?

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Is Walter permanently grounded for losing the money and his shot at being an entrepreneur?

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Or is Mama the most deserving of sympathy, for putting up with her kids and vanishing

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cash? Shmoop amongst yourselves.

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