Prejudice In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

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In the play raisin in the sun, Lorraine Hansberry argues that racism and prejudice defer the dreams of the Lee family by making it difficult to open a business, to buy and move into a house. In order to open a business, a person must first obtain a license. In Walter’s case, obtaining a license is very difficult because of racial prejudice from license offices. Walter needs to pay “ a couple of hundred” to the license officers so that he “don’t spend [his] life just waiting for them clowns (33)” to approve his license. The license officers, if not paid the extra money, would otherwise show prejudice towards african americans like Walter Lee and WIlly Harris. It is implied that the officers delay approval of their licenses because they …show more content…
Such is the case when Mama goes out to look for a house for the Lee family and ends up buying a house in a predominantly white neighborhood because “Them houses they put up for colored in them areas way out all seem to cost twice as much as other houses(93)”. Again, realtors are showing racial prejudice against african americans by forcing poor african american families to only be able to buy and afford certain homes that won't affect the wellbeing of a richer white community, unlike clydeburne park, which is described as being a simple lower middle class neighborhood. Owning a house fulfills several dreams and is important to the whole family because being able to afford a house in an all white community shows that the Lee family has moved up a ladder in society and giving them a sense pride that they as a racially discriminated african american family, has accomplished something by impacting a white community by moving into Clybourne park. Another party that’s trying to discourage the Lee family through racial discrimination is Mr. Lindner from the clybourne park association. He tells the Lee family in beat-around-the-bush terms “that for the happiness of all concerned that our Negro families are happier when they live in their own communities (118)”. Lindner on a
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