The poem is about dreams that are just out of reach. The play is about the Younger family who lives together in a predominantly black neighborhood of Chicago. The family members, Mama, Walter Jr., Beneatha, Walter’s wife Ruth, and their son Travis live together in a cramped one-bedroomed apartment. The patriarch and Mama’s husband, Walter Sr., died in a work-related accident.
From the life insurance policy that he had in place, the family is waiting for $10,000 from the insurance company. Their bickering on how to spend the money displays the financial frailty of the Younger family, which is “a heavy load.” The money is not enough to cater to all their dreams, and some are not achievable. Thus, for a member of the Younger family, the dream will have to fester like a sore.
The Younger family all want to achieve and live their version of the American dream, though they all have a different one. Mama is the matriarch of the Younger’s and wants to buy a bigger, brighter house. Beneatha wants to go to medical school and become a doctor, while Walter Jr. dreams of investing in a liquor store venture. All their dreams are achievable but are just out of reach.