Quote 1
I want so many things that they are driving me kind of crazy…Mama – look at me. (1.2.222)
Walter's desires are complex to the point of becoming a hazard to him. To dream big can be dangerous if one's dreams are not given a chance.
Quote 2
WALTER
…Just tell me where you want to go to school and you’ll go. Just tell me, what it is you want to be – and you’ll be it….Whatever you want to be – Yessir! (He holds his arms open for TRAVIS) You just name it, son…(TRAVIS leaps into them) and I hand you the world! (2.2.131)
Walter wants to encourage Travis's dreams. He's willing to give his son everything he has, just as Lena is. This dedication to his son is what makes it impossible for him to give in to Lindner at the end of the play.
Quote 3
MAMA
Yes, a fine man – just couldn’t never catch up with his dreams, that’s all. (1.1.208)
Big Walter was never able to attain his dream. He still had hopes, though, that his children would have a chance to see theirs come true. This makes it even sadder when, both Beneatha's dreams of medical school and Walter's dreams of being a business owner are jeopardized (and possibly destroyed) by Walter's foolish business dealings with the Willy Harris.
Quote 4
WALTER (Suddenly bounding across the floor to embrace her)
‘Cause sometimes it is hard to let the future begin! (2.3.153)
Walter believes his dreams of a better future have come true when he expects Willy to be at the door with good news. Unfortunately, it's just Bobo with some awful news instead. It's really sad to know that Walter's dreams will soon be crushed.
Quote 5
WALTER
Gone, what you mean Willy is gone? Gone where? You mean he went by himself. You mean he went off to Springfield by himself – to take care of getting the license – (Turns and looks anxious at RUTH) You mean maybe he didn’t want too many people in on the business down there? (Looks to RUTH again, as before) You know Willy got his own ways. (Looks back at BOBO) Maybe you was late yesterday and he went on down there without you. Maybe – maybe – he’s been callin’ you at home tryin’ to tell you what happened or something. Maybe – maybe – he just got sick. He’s somewhere – he’s got to be somewhere. We just got to find him – me and you got to find him. (Grabs BOBO senselessly by the collar and starts to shake him) We got to! (2.3.180)
Walter desperately holds onto the possibility of his dreams coming true, denying the fact that he has been swindled. He knows that he has not only ruined his own dreams by trusting Willy Harris, but he's also put a damper on Beneatha's plans of going to medical school.
Quote 6
WALTER
Mama – sometimes when I’m downtown and I pass them cool-quiet-looking restaurants where them white boys are sitting back and talking ‘bout things…sitting there turning deals worth millions of dollars…sometimes I see guys don’t look much older than me – (1.2.226)
Walter is jealous of businessmen who can afford a high standard of living. He is tortured by the fact that men of the same age as him have more of a chance in the world because of their race.
Quote 7
BENEATHA
[Assimilationist] means someone who is willing to give up his own culture and submerge himself completely in the dominant, and in this case oppressive culture! (2.1.51)
Beneatha's passion for progressive politics acts as a foil for Walter's willingness to give in to the threats of dominant culture. She is totally disgusted when Walter temporarily agrees to accept the bribe from Mr. Lindner to not move into the white neighborhood.
Quote 8
WALTER
Why? You want to know why? ‘Cause we all tied up in a race of people that don’t know how to do nothing but moan, pray and have babies! (2.1.114)
Here, Walter takes out his frustration on his own race, claiming that his fellow African Americans are to blame for their own misfortunes. Once again, Hansberry shows us the complex perspectives that exist within the black community.
Quote 9
WALTER
…Mama, you know it’s all divided up. Life is. Sure enough. Between the takers and the "tooken." (He laughs) I’ve figured it out finally…People like Willy Harris, they don’t never get "tooken." And you know why the rest of us do? ‘Cause we all mixed up. Mixed up bad. We get to looking ‘round for the right and the wrong; and we worry about it and cry about it and stay up nights trying to figure out ‘bout the wrong and the right of things all the time… And all the time, man, them takers is out there operating, just taking and taking. (3.1.89)
Embittered by Willy's backstabbing, Walter decides he can trust no one, white or black. In a moment of false lucidity, Walter decides that integrity is overrated.
Quote 10
WALTER
…There ain’t no causes – there ain’t nothing but taking in this world, and he who takes most is smartest – and it don’t make a damn bit of difference how. (3.1.94)
In an unjust world, the unjust succeed. After humiliating himself and disappointing his family, Walter changes his moral stance to adapt to those around him.
Quote 11
WALTER (A beat; staring at [Karl])
And my father – (With sudden intensity) My father almost beat a man to death once because this man called him a bad name or something, you know what I mean? (3.1.127)
Big Walter, Walter's namesake and role model, refused to accept racist treatment. Hansberry suggests that having pride means being able to stand up for oneself. If Walter gives in to Lindner, he will shame the memory of his father.
Quote 12
WALTER
This is my son, and he makes the sixth generation our family in this country. And we have all thought about your offer –
[…]
And we have decided to move into our house because my father – my father – he earned it for us brick by brick. (3.1.131-3)
Walter turns down the Clybourne Park Association's offer only after he remembers the roots his family has in America, and the rights that they deserve. He wants to set a strong example for his son, Travis, just like his father did for him.
Quote 13
WALTER (Without even looking at his son, still staring hard at his wife)
In fact, here’s another fifty cents…Buy yourself some fruit today – or take a taxicab to school or something! (1.1.59)
Walter tries to prevent their economic status from affecting his son. He wants his son to have everything he ought to have. He would seem like an awesome dad in this scene if it wasn't clear that part of the reason he's giving Travis money is to deliberately undermine his wife.
Quote 14
WALTER (Rising and coming to her and standing over her)
You tired, ain’t you? Tired of everything. Me, the boy, the way we live – this beat-up hole – everything. Ain’t you? (She doesn’t look up, doesn’t answer) So tired – moaning and groaning all the time, but you wouldn’t do nothing to help, would you? You couldn’t be on my side that long for nothing, could you? (1.1.73)
Walter expects Ruth to show her support for him by doing what he wants her to do. Ruth's husband never stops to consider what she might want of him. Of course, Ruth does keep her desires quiet for a lot of the play. Basically, these two barely communicate.
Quote 15
WALTER
I’m a grown man, Mama.
MAMA
Ain’t nobody said you wasn’t grown. But you still in my house and my presence. And as long as you are – you’ll talk to your wife civil. Now sit down. (1.2.201-2)
As matriarch of the Younger family, Lena maintains control over the household. Later on in the play she comes to think that her dominating nature might be part of what's driving Walter crazy. He's never been allowed to truly take responsibility.
Quote 16
WALTER (Without even looking at his son, still staring hard at his wife)
In fact, here’s another fifty cents…Buy yourself some fruit today – or take a taxicab to school or something! (1.1.59)
Walter tries to prevent the family's economic status from affecting his son. He wants his son to have everything he ought to have.
Quote 17
WALTER
Anybody who talks to me has got to be a good-for-nothing loudmouth, ain’t he? And what you know about who is just a good-for-nothing loudmouth? Charlie Atkins was just a "good-for-nothing loudmouth" too, wasn’t he! When he wanted me to go in the dry-cleaning business with him. And now – he’s grossing a hundred thousand a year. A hundred thousand dollars a year! You still call him a loudmouth! (1.1.71)
Money is a consistent reason for dispute between Walter and Ruth. This quote seems to suggest that Walter doesn't care who he goes into business with as long as it will result in more money.
Quote 18
WALTER
Yeah. You see, this little liquor store we got in mind cost seventy-five thousand and we figured the initial investment on the place be ‘bout thirty thousand, see. That be ten thousand each. Course, there’s a couple of hundred you got to pay so’s you don’t spend your life just waiting for them clowns to let your license get approved – (1.1.79)
Walter believes that investing a whole lot of money will earn his family their fortune. He gets a lot of crap from his family about this idea from his family, but on paper it's really not a terrible idea. Unfortunately, Walter's would-be business partner, Willy Harris, turns out to be a total crook. In the end, the Youngers remain in poverty.
Quote 19
WALTER
…Baby, don’t nothing happen for you in this world ‘less you pay somebody off! (1.1.81)
Walter believes he needs to spend money in order to gain money. And, in this case, he means to spend money on a bribe to help get his liquor license. It seems like Walter's poverty has helped to make him perfectly willing to be a little shady in his business dealings.
Quote 20
WALTER
Have we figured out yet just exactly how much medical school is going to cost? (1.1.109)
Walter resents Beneatha's wish to become a doctor because it will cost the family a significant amount of money. The Youngers' poverty seems to often make them turn on each other.