"Now - you say after me, in my mother's house there is still God."
~ A Raisin in the Sun, page 51
It's natural for people to mature when they age and then become out of touch with younger generations - the things they used to care about seem insignificant compared to their present values, and this is consistent with most everyone in general. There are several different examples you can pull from A Raisin in the Sun.
One is between Mama and Beneatha. One of the fights they had revolved around religion. Spirituality is definitely an ongoing struggle and personal journey for each individual person. It seems that with age, people in general become more devout and religious. Beneatha renounces the existence of God, but Mama will not have it in her house. I think that when people are younger, they doubt and they want to explore and learn new things about the world. Beneatha's denial of God isn't necessarily lasting - she will probably recognize those values as she ages.
Another is between Mama and Walter. They both want to invest the money into something that will help the whole family, but there are definitely different motives for each one. Mama wants to buy a new house - the house will give all of them space to live and feel more liberated than in their tiny apartment; ultimately, it would benefit the whole family and improve the family dynamic. Walter wants to invest the money in a liquor store. While this would give the family more opportunities, Walter considers the fastest, easiest way to get what he wants (instant gratification), and the main goal is more money. Mama values hard work and a reward that would be helpful to everyone; this shows how family-oriented older generations are.
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