s his or her deepest desire. For old-time-religion reasons, Lena insists Walter prevent Ruth from having an abortion. Beneatha's absorption in progressive politics and ideas causes her to make a project of parading around in African costume, not least to goad Walter, who wants nothing so much as to stop being virtually invisible, chronically unable to function as a player in either the white man's business world ("I want so many things they're driving me crazy") or his own household. His frustration peaks when Lena announces that--essentially ignoring his need for investment money--she has put a down payment on a house. But when Lena wants him to say "I done the right thing," he explodes at her for butchering up his dream (80). In Act III, recognizing the depth of Walter's fear that he has missed his only chance to break out of the trap of his life, Lena gives Walter the rest of the legacy, specifying that one-third is for Beneatha's education. According to Cheney, Lena relinquishes her control over her son's money and life decisions, realizing that "he needs the money to chisel a place for himself in the silent monolith of white society" (Cheney 67).
It all goes wrong, of course. First, Walter takes two-thirds of the money for his store. Next, his partner skips town with all of it, all but destroying Beneatha's chance for an education. Meanwhile, one Karl Lindner appears, offering to buy back Lena's down payment; it was for a house in a white neighborhood. Fearful of not being able to handle mortgage payments, Lena acquiesces in Walter's decision to take Lindner's money. But at the moment of truth, Walter refuses Lindner's offer, and the family escapes from the tenement after all.
Cheney says that A Raisin in the Sun is an example of a well-made play, which in context appears to refer to the fact that it is a problem drama with a linear plot that systematically unfolds and that follows the progress of character
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