#3: Anxiety

  

In reading the first scene of A Raisin In The Sun, I’ve come to realize something. Walter, the seemingly sexist father figure of the novel, might have anxiety. Seems like a stretch? Let me explain through my own experience:  

I walk up to the podium and look out at my audience. I feel confident, standing on that stage, knowing I can perform well. I have been working on my art for more than a decade now! Surely, "nervous" is not in my vocabulary. Until it starts. The lights become blinding, my knees become weak, my hands begin to sweat. Everything begins to close onto me. Thousands of eyes, staring into my soul. Unfortunately, I know this is only the beginning of a severe reaction. Pindrop silence as the audience awaits my performance. An occasional cough ripples through the theater. "Am I actually supposed to sing now?" I think to myself. "I am not ready. I am not prepared. 13 years of professional training isn't enough"...

Anxiety: a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. In layman's terms, 'that one feeling where you feel as if you can cough up your intestines'. I am quite sure that half the planet has experienced anxiety. I certainly have, if not already evident. As a someone avidly into the performing arts, having anxiety can be... annoying, for the lack of a better adjective. 

Now, in terms of Walter, we can analyze. In their argument in Scene 1, Walter and Ruth argue about how they could’ve been rich (kind of). This argument leads to sexist claims, cursing, and the throwing of some perfectly good scrambled eggs. Through this argument, I can only imagine the pain Walter was feeling. He believed he could achieve an impossible dream. Ruth had the facts and Walter had the dream. As said by Ruth herself, “You get your mind off money and eat your breakfast” (Hansberry, Act 1 Scene 1). 

Throughout this whole scene, I couldn’t help but notice that Walter was subtly showing signs of anxiety. Throwing the eggs was an example. Walter feels insecure and anxious about his status and dwindling wealth that he takes it out on Ruth, in my opinion. Anxious that Mama will give her money (from the check) to Beneatha, Walter pulls the “male dominance” card. 

Of course, these are just my thoughts, but if this is true and Walter does have anxiety, this can affect his character development later in the novel.