Williams 1

Chloe Williams

Mr. Taylor

Honors English 1

24 May 2019

Walter: Intermittent Explosive Disorder

“THEN TELL ME DANG IT...WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH YOU?” ​(Hansberry

127)​ Throughout the story ​A Raisin in the Sun​, the main character Walter Lee displays many

signs of having an anger disorder. After researching several disorders, Walter’s anger matches

the most with someone who has ​i​ntermittent ​e​xplosive ​d​isorder (IED). Intermittent ​e​xplosive

d​isorder is an impulse-control disorder that causes sudden episodes of “explosive” anger. The

symptoms that Walter shows that indicate that he has intermittent explosive disorder are

excessive rage and physical attacks (Tull).

The main symptom that Walter exhibits is excessive rage. When he entered the kitchen

area for breakfast one morning, he ​quickly became​ heated with his wife ​for​ not wanting to listen

to him explain his vision for his life. She simply told him to eat his eggs and go to work. This led

Walter into rage, screaming, “Dang my eggs - dang all the eggs that ever was.” (Hansberry 34).

He blamed his misfortune on the color of African American women’s skin and “little-minds”.

Later in the story, when his mother would not listen to him explain how he would open his liquor

store, Walter rushed out the door shouting “I’m going ​out!” W​hen asked if one could join, he

said, “I don’t want you to come!” (Hansberry 71). This ​shows​ ​that he is afraid to face the truth​.

H​e sounds like a mad man, worried about money all of the time. But this is only one of the many

incidents within the story that Walter shows symptoms of IED.

 Williams 2

Another symptom of IED the main character showed was physical attacks. Finally, mama

put her trust in Walter and let him handle part of the money that she received from the check.

She asked him to put some of it ​into​ a savings account for his sister’s medical school, and the

rest would be put ​into​ an account with his name. Instead of doing as his mother asked, he took it

into his own ​hands​ ​and​ invest​ed​ all the money into the liquor store with Bobo and Willy Harris.

A little while later, Bobo, Walter’s friend, showed up at the apartment uncertain of what to say.

When Bobo finally finds the courage to tell him what had happened, Walters world comes

crashing down​.​ Willy Harris had taken Walter and Bobos money and ran with it. “Man, Willy is

gone.”, said Bobo ​(Hansberry 128)​. Suddenly, Walter rushes over and grabs Bobo senslessly by

the collar and starts to shake him. After that altercation, Walter starts to crumple down to the

ground and pound the floor with his fists, sobbing wildly (Hansberry 128). At this point, he is

aware of his mess up and he knows how disappointed the family will be with his selfish decision.

If Walter had just listened to others in the first place and put his stubborn personality to the side,

none of this would have happened.

There are many people that agree with the statement that Walter has ​i​ntermittent

e​xplosive ​d​isorder, but there are others who think that he has another disorder. Despite the

evidence presenting Walter with intermittent explosive disorder, some people believe he has an

anxiety disorder​. B​ut they fail to see the many symptoms that show that he has IED. Instead, they

ask “Why is it IED, and not anxiety?” The causes of ​g​eneralized ​a​nxiety ​d​isorder are worrying,

irritability, feeling tired or weak, no control over worries, and trembling often. When Walter

found out that the check would be coming later that week, almost every time he entered the

apartment he asked, “Did it come?” (Hansberry 70). He became so worried about receiving the
 Williams 3

money that he pretty much blurred out everything else in life. People who believe that Walter has

anxiety think it is due to high stress levels. Although aspects of this argument are tempting, it

fails to be a stronger argument because the symptoms Walter displays differ a lot from an anxiety

disorder. IED usually occurs with depression ​and​ post traumatic incidents, ​but​ can be passed on

genetically. Walter’s anger is partly coming from hidden anger about the loss of his father. ​This

post-traumatic situation brings him fear of not being able to take care of the family in the same

way as his father once did.​ ​On the other hand, a​nxiety happens when worrying and stress come

into play. ​Unlike someone with an anxiety disorder, Walter displays control over his anger when

stressed or worried. A person with generalized anxiety disorder would have a panic attack over a

simple situation. Being a man with a disorder that differs from anxiety, Walter finds ways to

cope with his bad temper. One way he is able to calm down and recollect his emotions is to head

down to the local bar to get a quick drink (“Anxiety”).

Walter exhibits signs of having intermittent explosive disorder, such as, excessive rage

and physical attacks in many different scenarios. Throughout ​A Raisin in the Sun​, Lorraine

Hansberry has the protagonist feel that he has to prove himself to the family. He makes it

obvious that his goal in life is to fill his father’s shoes. It is also evident that he loves his family

very much, but he doesn’t know how to properly express his feelings. Instead, he puts pressure

on himself to be something that he is not. Walter then takes it out on his family when he doesn’t

succeed at it. In conclusion, those around you may be dealing with problems that you will never

understand​, b​ut it makes things ten times easier when you show them that you support them and

will always be there when they need it the most.

 Williams 4

Works Cited

“Anxiety Disorders.” ​Mayo Clinic​ , 4 May 2018,

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961.

Hansberry, Lorraine. ​A Raisin in the Sun: a Drama in Three Acts​. Random House, 2002.

Tull, Matthew. “How Childhood Trauma Relates to Intermittent Explosive Disorder.”

Verywell Mind​, 20 Jan. 2019,

www.verywellmind.com/intermittent-explosive-disorder-and-trauma-2797145.