Madison Scheuneman
Lorraine Hansberry created a cast of unique characters in her 1959 play A Raisin in the Sun. Each character is a complex individual who has been molded by the circumstances of the world around them. Walter Lee Younger is a character, who at first seems rather easy to categorize as selfish and sexist and nothing more, but is actually a character with far more depth. Combined with Hansberry’s original portrayal of him in her manuscript, and Sidney Poitier’s portrayal of Walter in the 1961 film directed by Daniel Petrie by the same title we see his character come to life in a brand new way. While Hansberry’s descriptions of each of her characters are extremely detailed in physical appearance, personality, and physical action, it takes Poitier’s performance to translate Hansberry’s vision that was hidden between the lines of her stage directions and character descriptions.
Hansberry’s first description of Walter is “He is a lean, intense young man in his middle thirties, inclined to quick nervous movements and errict speech habits–and always in his voice there is a quality of indictment” (25). The word “intense” is a really interesting one especially when examining it in relation to Walter’s characterization. “Intense” is a pretty subjective term that can be interpreted with varying connotations. When I think “intense” I think more of an aggressive, yet an adult-like, behavior that is often brought on by extremely negative emotions that is used as an intimidation technique. This single word negated the phrase “…quick nervous movements…” almost entirely as I read Hansberry’s play because of the sheer power I relate the word to (25). Even so the way Poitier performs doesn’t seem to encompass the idea of “…quick nervous movements…” so much as childish and almost manic (Hansberry 25). When looking at the first time that Walter is introduced in the film we see the same sequence that Hansberry wrote in which Ruth tries to wake him up just like she did her son, Travis. But once Walter actually gets moving, he literally kicks the blankets off of himself and pouts as a child who does not want to wake up would (A Raisin in the Sun 3:41). He then quite literally bursts into movement, running wildly around the apartment, collecting his clothing and other things that he’ll need to prepare himself for the day (A Raisin in the Sun 3:57). In this instant Ruth is forced to act as more of a mother figure to Walter than taking on the role of his wife.
As the film progresses alongside the play we see Walter’s story play out the way Hansberry had intended it to. In the final scenes of both the play and the film we see the moment in which Walter steps away from this childish attitude of his. Prior to the scene in which Walter chooses not to take Linder’s money he never stops moving. Poitier captures Walter’s personality by keeping him in constant motion no matter how small it may be such as the jittery movements of his fingers as Bobo tells him the bad news about the money (A Raisin in the Sun 1:39:17). When it comes to finally facing Linder all over again, this time feeling the pride in his family that has been passed down from generation to generation, as Mama would say, Poitier finally allows Walter to stand mostly still, but something particular seems to bring this on. When Ruth and Walter try to send Travis away Mama says “‘And you make him understand what you’re doing Walter Lee. You teach him good, like Willy Harris taught you. You show him where our five generations done come to son. Go ahead. Go ahead” (A Raisin in the Sun 1:59:42). As Mama gives this speech Walter stands so straight and still that he almost looks like a statue. Knowing that his son will forever remember this moment Walter is forced to make a split second decision that will determine the future of his entire family, and he must take Mama’s words into consideration as he does so. Poitere quite literally shows us the subtleness of Walter’s transformation into the man Mama always wanted him to be by finally removing those constant childish moments that has become a huge part of Walter’s characterization. This visual representation of this moment creates a clear moment when Walter is able to call himself worthy of the role of the family head that he has so desperately wanted to take on.
This dynamic role of Walter Lee Younger is an interesting one that takes both reading the play and watching an actor’s portrayal to best see what it was Hansberry was trying to accomplish in creating his character. Walter is far more than the surface level character he may originally seem to be.
- How did Sidney Poitier’s portrayal of Walter differ or align with your imaging of the character? How did this difference or similarity either alter or enhance your understanding of Walter as a character?
- Do you think Walter’s character actually developed throughout the play or was this change a temporary one that was influenced by his son’s presence?
Work Cited
Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. New York: Vintage, 1994. Print.
Susskind, David et al. A Raisin in the Sun . Culver City, California: Columbia Tristar Home Video, 1999. Film.
