Escape

Mama:  "He finally come into his manhood today, didn't he?  Kind of like a rainbow after the rain..." (A Raisin in the Sun p. 151)

During Act III, Walter seems to give up hope: all the money is lost, and Mr. Lindner repeatedly asks the family not to move into the neighborhood.  At one point, Walter loses it; he decides that the best thing to do is just to accept the money from Mr. Lindner and not put up a fight for the pride of his family and race; however, Mama tells Walter that this is not how she raised her family to be.  She wants Walter to be strong and stand up for the hard work and determination of his father.  In the end, Walter stands up for his family to Mr. Lindner showing that he has finally developed into a man.

Mama's simile of the rainbow is fitting for this situation.  Right before this event, turmoil and chaos grip the household driving Mama to beat her child.  The storm created in the household is not settled by money or riches; instead, Walter calms the storm through his words and courage.  Without Walter's actions on that day, the family would be trapped in the tiny apartment forever; however, the Younger's are able to overcome social boundaries to reach their ultimate hopes and dreams of escaping the apartment.