A Raisin in the Sun Walter Younger Quotes

Walter Younger

Quote 7

BENEATHA
[Assimilationist] means someone who is willing to give up his own culture and submerge himself completely in the dominant, and in this case oppressive culture! (2.1.51)

Beneatha's passion for progressive politics acts as a foil for Walter's willingness to give in to the threats of dominant culture. She is totally disgusted when Walter temporarily agrees to accept the bribe from Mr. Lindner to not move into the white neighborhood.

Walter Younger

Quote 8

WALTER
Why? You want to know why? ‘Cause we all tied up in a race of people that don’t know how to do nothing but moan, pray and have babies! (2.1.114)

Here, Walter takes out his frustration on his own race, claiming that his fellow African Americans are to blame for their own misfortunes. Once again, Hansberry shows us the complex perspectives that exist within the black community.

WALTER
…Mama, you know it’s all divided up. Life is. Sure enough. Between the takers and the "tooken." (He laughs) I’ve figured it out finally…People like Willy Harris, they don’t never get "tooken." And you know why the rest of us do? ‘Cause we all mixed up. Mixed up bad. We get to looking ‘round for the right and the wrong; and we worry about it and cry about it and stay up nights trying to figure out ‘bout the wrong and the right of things all the time… And all the time, man, them takers is out there operating, just taking and taking. (3.1.89)

Embittered by Willy's backstabbing, Walter decides he can trust no one, white or black. In a moment of false lucidity, Walter decides that integrity is overrated.