Question

read this excerpt from a raisin in the sun
mama. you making something inside me cry, son. some awful pain inside me.
walter. dont cry, mama. understand. that white man is going to walk in that door able to write checks for more money than we ever had. its important to him and im going to help him... im going to put on the show, mama.
which themes does the excerpt most clearly convey?
a. money is not the key to the american dream; never do demeaning things to get what you want.
b. to conform to society, you must keep your individuality; the family must be kept together, no matter what.
c. one should never sacrifice ones dignity; to meet societys expectations, one must give up ones individuality.
d. sometimes children never learn their lesson; life can often be painful and hard to bear.

Explanation:

In the excerpt, Walter is willing to help a white man (implying conforming to societal power dynamics) and "put on the show", suggesting sacrificing individuality for society's expectations. Mama's pain hints at the loss of dignity in such actions, matching option C. Other options: A’s “money not key” isn’t clear here; B’s “keep individuality” conflicts with Walter’s action; D’s “children never learn” is not the focus.

Answer:

C. One should never sacrifice one’s dignity; to meet society’s expectations, one must give up one’s individuality.