Sympathetic Character In George Hansberrys A Raisin In...

According to Vocabulary.com, a sympathetic character in literature is a character who is likable or who evokes feelings of sympathy from the audience. A prime example of a sympathetic character is Walter Lee Younger from A Raisin in the Sun. This is because he is the protagonist, his qualities are highlighted well, he is a victim, and he is a sacrificer.. A Raisin in the Sun is a drama that is a â€Å"Man vs. Society† type story. Walter Younger is the protagonist of the story even though he isn’t a traditional hero, evident by him stealing Beneatha’s college fund. Almost every protagonist is sympathetic, just because they are put in the spotlight and the audience wants to sympathise with him or her. Walter is the man and the societal issue he†¦show more content†¦Unintelligent people are very sympathetic. In addition to these, he also never changes, he is static, and he is a flat character. All he wants is to get more respect in society. Thirdly, a reason that Walter is sympathetic is that he is a victim. He is a victim of racism, a victim of nasty deeds, and a victim of his own misplaced ambition. He is a victim of racism, just like every other black person was in that time period. He is a victim of nasty deeds because he was betrayed by his friend, or the closest things he had to a friend; when Willy ran off with his money he was devastated, â€Å"Gone, what do you mean Willy is gone?†(Hansberry 1955). He is a victim of his misplaced ambitions because he wants to be a respected entrepreneur, but he clearly doesn’t know anything about business, so it is practically impossible for him to accomplish his dream; like this when Walter is trying to convince George of his business smarts, â€Å"Me and you ought to sit down and talk sometimes, man. Man, I got me some ideas†¦Ã¢â‚¬  then George â€Å"[with boredom.] Yeah, sometimes we’ll have to do that Walter†(Hansberry 1936). That is actua lly why the story is named A Raisin in the Sun. It was named after a few lines in the poem Harlem by Langston Hughes: What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore— And then run? Does it stink