To Walter Lee Younger...
This is the last AP of both the term and the year, and we are ending it with a project focused around the play, written by Loraine Hansberry, A Raisin In The Sun.
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| A Raisin In The Sun, Sept 27 2018, Dusty Loo Bon Vivant Theater |
This play is about a Black family with the last name Younger, who live in a room that was sectioned inside a house and called an apartment. It was very small and not really suitable for living. Black folks are always adapting to their harsh circumstances and somehow make the best of it or power through it and that is exactly what they were doing. But for how long could they keep this up, was the real question. A member of this family, Big Walter, died and as a result Mama was to receive an insurance check of 10,000 dollars. Back then that was a lot of money, so Mama decided to pursue her dream of getting a big house for the family. She also decided to set aside money for her daughter’s medical school and gave Walter some money for himself as well. Mama bought the house, but the problem is that it's in a white neighborhood. Naturally the neighborhood doesn't want black people moving in so a member of the welcoming committee goes to the Younger’s and spills the beans. Now, Walter has two choices. Move in and continue a decent life in a white neighborhood and fulfill Mama’s dream, or choose to not move in and receive a sum of money from the welcoming committee as a result. Our job for this project was to write a letter to Walter as any character in the play and convince him to either stay or leave. I chose to be Walter's son, Travis and convince him to choose to move. Enjoy my letter below.
Dear Daddy,
This is your son Travis, and I think we should talk. I know I'm young, and I “don’t know about grown folk’s business”, but you should hear me out. I think that all of us should move to the bigger house with Mama. I know it's not a place where we would be welcomed, but it's a step up and we deserve it, don’t you think? Another reason is that it would make mama really sad, and this family has already suffered enough sadness-- from Big Walter’s death, to your alcohol abuse, it's just a lot. Lastly, Mama always said, “There is always something left to love. And if you ain't learned that, you ain't learned nothing”(Act 3, 135). We can still love life in the new house; we can still love each other.
First off, the place that we are staying in now is not even a real apartment; it's a divided house, and we are staying in one room together. I don't know about you, but I think it's high time for an upgrade. If we do move to the house, we would just be able to live better. It's more spacious, and we would have our own things. Sure we wouldn't be welcome, but after all, we would be proud of yet another accomplishment we have achieved. When Asagai was in our room one time, he said “... isn’t there something wrong in a house—in a world—where all dreams, good or bad, must depend on the death of a man”(Act 3, 135)? That got me thinking and I have concluded that, yes, depending on Grandaddy’s death to fund our dreams isn't a moral move to make, but it's the position we have been put in and it's the one that should be taken.
Secondly, Mama would be really upset if we didn't move. She wouldn't show it because she’s Mama, but she would be sad nonetheless. As we have already discussed, this family is heart broken by many things like the death of Big Walter, all of our dreams not being able to come true, and your constant abuse of this family. To be honest, I'm not sure how much more of this heartache this family can take before something even more tragic happens. My grandfather, “—he earned it for us brick by brick. We don’t want to make no trouble for nobody or fight no causes, and we will try to be good neighbors.”(Act 3, 148) The moving into the house, Beneatha’s attendance of medical school, your special funds to try and do better for the family, would all be his last gifts to us. Mama realizes that and needs to pursue that.
If your issue is that we can’t love life where we are not wanted and won't fit in, then you're sadly mistaken. Because we have each other to love, life would be enjoyable wherever we go, wouldn't it? Mama was always preaching this, and she was right. We can’t be so willing to just give up and not leap at opportunities just because they seem uncertain. Daddy, as the current man of the house, you should be able to make the judgment that certain risks need to be taken in order to move this family forward. Grandmama challenged you, “Oh—So now it’s life. Money is life. Once upon a time freedom used to be life—now it’s money. I guess the world really do change . . .” (Act 1, 229). Come on daddy, choose freedom over money; choose happiness over cash.
There you go daddy, the facts are in front of you. It’s your decision to make, but keep in mind all of the reasons you have for continuing to move in and not be a sucker for a little bit of money, now. We would be happy and could love life wherever we go. Mama would be down because her dream was spoiled. And the house is a really big and nice step up from the slum of a place we stay in now. You even said it yourself that you were going to make, “. . . a business transaction that’s going to change our lives. . . . “( 2,566 )
Dear Daddy,
This is your son Travis, and I think we should talk. I know I'm young, and I “don’t know about grown folk’s business”, but you should hear me out. I think that all of us should move to the bigger house with Mama. I know it's not a place where we would be welcomed, but it's a step up and we deserve it, don’t you think? Another reason is that it would make mama really sad, and this family has already suffered enough sadness-- from Big Walter’s death, to your alcohol abuse, it's just a lot. Lastly, Mama always said, “There is always something left to love. And if you ain't learned that, you ain't learned nothing”(Act 3, 135). We can still love life in the new house; we can still love each other.
First off, the place that we are staying in now is not even a real apartment; it's a divided house, and we are staying in one room together. I don't know about you, but I think it's high time for an upgrade. If we do move to the house, we would just be able to live better. It's more spacious, and we would have our own things. Sure we wouldn't be welcome, but after all, we would be proud of yet another accomplishment we have achieved. When Asagai was in our room one time, he said “... isn’t there something wrong in a house—in a world—where all dreams, good or bad, must depend on the death of a man”(Act 3, 135)? That got me thinking and I have concluded that, yes, depending on Grandaddy’s death to fund our dreams isn't a moral move to make, but it's the position we have been put in and it's the one that should be taken.
Secondly, Mama would be really upset if we didn't move. She wouldn't show it because she’s Mama, but she would be sad nonetheless. As we have already discussed, this family is heart broken by many things like the death of Big Walter, all of our dreams not being able to come true, and your constant abuse of this family. To be honest, I'm not sure how much more of this heartache this family can take before something even more tragic happens. My grandfather, “—he earned it for us brick by brick. We don’t want to make no trouble for nobody or fight no causes, and we will try to be good neighbors.”(Act 3, 148) The moving into the house, Beneatha’s attendance of medical school, your special funds to try and do better for the family, would all be his last gifts to us. Mama realizes that and needs to pursue that.
If your issue is that we can’t love life where we are not wanted and won't fit in, then you're sadly mistaken. Because we have each other to love, life would be enjoyable wherever we go, wouldn't it? Mama was always preaching this, and she was right. We can’t be so willing to just give up and not leap at opportunities just because they seem uncertain. Daddy, as the current man of the house, you should be able to make the judgment that certain risks need to be taken in order to move this family forward. Grandmama challenged you, “Oh—So now it’s life. Money is life. Once upon a time freedom used to be life—now it’s money. I guess the world really do change . . .” (Act 1, 229). Come on daddy, choose freedom over money; choose happiness over cash.
There you go daddy, the facts are in front of you. It’s your decision to make, but keep in mind all of the reasons you have for continuing to move in and not be a sucker for a little bit of money, now. We would be happy and could love life wherever we go. Mama would be down because her dream was spoiled. And the house is a really big and nice step up from the slum of a place we stay in now. You even said it yourself that you were going to make, “. . . a business transaction that’s going to change our lives. . . . “( 2,566 )
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