Character Analysis of Walter
Walter is the main character of the Raisin in the Sun, being Mama’s only son. In addition, he makes most of the conflict at home. He is a complex character, with mixed feelings with his home. He is the character that moves between the antagonist and the protagonist, which makes the story live and natural with a picture of a typical ambitious man in the 1950s to 60s.
First, he of course loves his family, but he feels the house is too small, so he is willing to take risks to change it. As he says in the story, he describes this house as a “beat-up hole”. He desperately wants to change this. He wanted to invest in the liquor store so that if he succeeded, the family will be completed changed. One could say he has dreams that are nearly impossible to accomplish, but his starting point is good. He wants the family to be rich; he cares about his wife and family members. In Act 3, he says: “I want to hang some real pearls ‘round my wife’s neck. Ain’t she supposed to wear no pearls?” He is not greedy. He wants pearls on his wife’s neck, he wants her to be pretty, and he wants her to wear luxury, he wants… He wants many things for his family. He has ambitious dreams about his family, and he thinks it is his opportunity and responsibilities to rapid increase their life standards. Even when he breaks down in Act 3, he wants to take the money from Mr. Lindner so that the whole financial situation of the family will be better. It could be said that this is a shame on the family, but he still puts the living standard of the family in the first place even when he is broke down by the great pain caused by Willy Harris. In the end, he has two risks to choose from: one is to take the money and move somewhere else or move into that white neighborhood with great pressure. At last, he chooses to move into the white neighborhood to increase the living standards of his family although he may pay the cost of his and his family’s lives.
