Many modern families need things; they have difficulty making ends meet. Fathers and mothers want to be able to provide a comfortable and privileged life for their children. Just as in real life, Hansberry depicted family interactions within the play A Raisin in the Sun with this in mind. The youngest family represents any lower-class family in America, not just those of black descent. Every family has to deal with in-laws. Whether they are far away or in the same house, in-laws influence a family, even after their death. In A Raisin in the Sun, the Younger family all live in the same apartment; the small space allows for myriad daily interactions between family members. The parent-child unit of Walter, Ruth, and Travis interacts with Walter's mother and Ruth's mother-in-law every day. In Act 1, the reader is introduced to Beneatha, Walter's sister, and sees tension between Walter and her. "What do you want from me, brother? Leave school or die, which one?" (AI SI L1164-1165). Beneatha feels like Walter doesn't want her to better herself by going to medical school and becoming a doctor. She feels persecuted and humiliated by her brother. The tension depicted between Walter and Beneatha is exemplified throughout families: a sibling rivalry to see who can do better is a common theme in American families. This sibling experimentation reflects modern thinking in that it educates children to be competitive workers; this continues into adult society helping workers to be efficient so they can compete for jobs in the modern workplace. Competition is a fundamental element in a capitalist culture like American society. Money is an issue for many modern families. Just like at the end of Act I, Scene II, money can… in the center of the card… on which he must say no to his selfish desires to better his relatives. This advanced his mental state to the point where those around him considered him a true adult. Money, coming of age, and in-laws are all issues faced across America by all races, not just African Americans. The play A Raisin in the Sun transcends race and instead simply uses the Younger family as an example for "every man"; they are simply a means to advance the story. The Younger family could have been replaced by any lower class family in America, even today, and except for the neighborhood that dislikes their race, the story could play out exactly the same way. Except that many families have difficulty making ends meet, the youngest family does. Hansberry portrays the Youngers as a simple example of an average American family. Works Cited A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry