In my illustration, I used an item on a table to symbolize the dreams of each of the three main
characters. I included a plant for Mama, books for Beneatha, and 50 cents for Walter, who, at
the beginning of the play, gave the 50 cents he needed to drive to work to his son, Travis. Walter
giving the 50 cents to Travis represents how he dreams of escaping poverty because he wants
his son to believe that Walter can afford to not only give him the 50 cents he needs for school
but also an additional 50 cents. Mama’s plant represents her determination to achieve her
dream of owning her own house, as it is a fragment of the garden she hoped to one day own
and has been kept alive for several years. Beneatha’s books represent not only her studious
personality but also her dream of attending medical school and becoming a doctor, which she
was ultimately unable to afford. All three of these items are placed on the same table, indicating
how Wlater, Mama, and Beneatha are a family looking for ways to improve their lives together.
The table has 4 legs, representing the Younger family's four adult members. The leg in shadow,
towards the back, represents the character of Ruth, who has no unique dreams of her own but
instead wants to support her family's goals. Overall, the symbolism used in the illustration
represents the deferred dreams, a significant element in Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun.
