13 - The Takers and The Tooken
“Mama, you know it's all divided up. Life is. Sure enough. Between the takers and the “tooken.”
The Raisin in the sun prominently portrays the reality of what life can be like when you are stuck in a system of oppression in multiple ways. Each character, however, still have their own dreams in which they see as ideal in order to escape such boundaries that they wish to escape. Such dreams are detailed in the story as being impossible to obtain, however, relating to the poem the title of the book is based from: “What happens to a dream deferred?”
Mama is old-fashioned in her dreams, which was already completed when she was young: to achieve freedom from slavery. Back in her day it was a difficult, if not possible, task to accomplish, however she managed to be free and have a family, something which see tries to maintain in the story, as well as not approving her children’s further dreams as she sees them as too lofty. Benetha contrasts to both Mama and Walter as she wishes to have freedom in the form of expression, wishing for man to take their own accomplishments and to return to Africa. Benetha also wishes to be a doctor to heal others instead of accumulating wealth, something very different to the ideals of Walter, who wishes to be among the ranks of the “takers” with a high status and wealth, and tries to do anything in an attempt to get such riches, as he despises working for others.
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