The Great Gatsby and A Raisin in the Sun

Starting from the beginning there is an immediate difference betweenthe novels A Raisin in the Sun and The Great Gatsby. A Raisin in the Sun takes place in the 1950’s while The Great Gatsby takes place in the 1920’s. Although their time differences are far apart, the characters in the novels share a similar perspective on the American Dream. Both books seem to center their American Dream on money.

In A Raisin in the Sun, it is almost impossible for the characters to make their American Dream happen because of their race. Walter’s goal is to run his own liquor store even when Mama and Ruth are against the idea. Walter’s American Dream is mainly centered on the thought of owning lots of money. He wants lots of money to be able to afford whatever he wants and not be part of the lower class. He seems to think that money and only money is the solution for all the problems that he has. Mama and Beneatha didn’t exactly see money as being part of the American Dream. Beneatha knows she needs money in order to have the education she wants but relies on the money she inherits to help her American Dream come true.  On the other hand Ruth looked up to money because she thought that it was the only way to keep a stable house. At the end of the book Mr. Linder helps Walter revise his interpretation of the American dream, the dream that is split into justice and equality over the money. In this book they seem to try to figure out what to do with the money they received and not really care about where it came from. While in The Great Gatsby the theme is a difference between “old money” and “new money.”

In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby has the money for everything he wants but he doesn’t realize that his money cannot buy him love or happiness. He is stuck in the thought that his material possessions are the key for his happiness.  Money seemed to play different roles between both novels because of their class in the book. For example, Gatsby he wanted to maintain his money and once he had met that goal he tried to make it seem like he was from “new money.” Daisy and Tom were different because their wealth was inherited and didn’t really need to obtain it in such ways. Hence, they just looked down at the people that didn’t have enough “old” money and they made sure that they never interacted with one another socially.

Although characters in both novels seem to do the best they can to reach their American Dream, I think that  Lorraine Hansberry presented a better display of the American Dream. In A Raisin in the Sun the family is poor but yet make the best of what they have while in The Great Gatsby mostly everyone is rich and living the life they wanted but with no love nor happiness. Gatsby bootlegged and did illegal things in order to get his money in hopes that he’ll someday win Daisy back. Beneatha wanted an education to live her dream of being a doctor, Ruth was willing to give up her time to do extra work just to make more money for her family, Mama just wants to have a loving and happy family, and Walter wanted to run his own business in a liquor store. Overall, both books show that money isn’t everything yet it can bring different types of outcomes to the different types of people.  (599)