There are many similarities involving the main characters in the books The Great Gatsby and A Raisin in the Sun. For example, they are similar because their entire lives revolve around money. Also, they define their lives by determining what social class they live in. Another main likeness between the two is that they reside in large cities. Which leads to problems that people in rural communities wouldn’t have. On the other hand, they also have major differences. One is wealthy, the other lives in poverty. Jay Gatsby lives in a paradise-like community in New York, while Walter Younger and his family live in the slums of Chicago. Another difference between them is their race. Jay, being a white, is a well respected individual in his part of town. The Youngers, being African American, have a hard time finding their place in the city of Chicago. Especially when they decide to move to a white association. The final difference is that even though they are in similar situations, and despite their hardships, the Younger family always seems to find a silver lining in whatever they are going through. Gatsby, on the other hand, is always discontent with his life.
Jay Gatsby, a bootlegger, was probably introduced to “big money” when he started in the business. Because of that, events that occur during his life, or big decisions that he has to make, is centered around money. In other words, every thought that runs through his mind deals (in some way) with his money, or money that can be earned. This is also the case for the Younger family in A Raisin in the Sun. Although it may seem that they have a certain incompetence for financial issues, they always have currency on their minds. For example, in the beginning of the play, Walter’s son asks for a quarter that was needed for one of his classes. Because money was always tight for them, his mother denied the request. But