A raisin in the sun really did a good job in addressing race inequality and gender equality in the 1950s. Beneatha had dreams of becoming a doctor, very few woman aspired to be doctors especially not black women. She is determined to realize her aspirations regardless of what other people think. Even her own brother tells her to be a nurse not a doctor. Beneatha also speaks of how she feels no need to be married, this along with trying to be a doctor where though of as radical ideas in the 1950s. Walters" wife is the opposite of Beneatha, she is the stereotypical woman staying at home and attending to the traditional duties of a woman and housewife. .
Racism also plays a strong role in the story. most obvious would be how the family only associates with black people because interracial relationships were unheard of. Another example of racism would be the residents in Clybourne Park trying to keep the Youngers from moving into their neighborhood and the segregation of the city show racism.
One of the most important themes of the play is the importance of dreams they appear keep each member of the Younger family going. Mama's dreams of having have her own home in a nice part of town, she does not want her grandchildren to grow up in a place where there are rats. Beneatha dreams of getting a good education, and becoming a doctor. Walter wants to have a successful business so he can rise out of the poverty that he has always live with.