A Raisin in the Sun s3

Name: ______Class Period: ______Date: ______A Raisin in the Sun By: Lorraine Hansberry

A 3-Act Play

Background on Lorraine Hansberry & the 1950s (Attach your notes from Tuesday, May 12th) ______

Predictions about A Raisin in the Sun (5-7 sentences) ______

Characters:

Mama (Lena)

Walter 1 REV. 4.13.12 Beneatha

Travis

George Murchison

Joseph Asagai

Carl Lindner

Mrs. Johnson

***********************************************************************

Setting ______

Themes ______

Symbols ______2 REV. 4.13.12 Foreshadowing ______

Act I, Scene One

Summary ______

Questions

1. Describe the Youngers’ apartment.

2. Why does Walter ask Ruth what was wrong with her?

3. How much money does Walter give to Travis?

4. Why is Ruth upset when Walter gave Travis the money

5. Why does Walter say, “Damn my eggs…damn all the eggs that ever was!”?

6. Who is Beneatha? Describe Beneatha. How is she different from the rest of the family?

3 REV. 4.13.12 7. Why does Beneatha say she will not marry George?

8. How much money is Mama going to receive and why?

9. In what type of business does Walter want to invest?

10. Who are Willy and Bobo? Predictions???

11. What happens to Ruth at the end of Act I Scene One?

Act I, Scene Two

Summary ______

Questions

1. Who is Jospeh Asagai?

2. What does Ruth find out at the doctor’s office?

3. Why is Asagai’s present to Beneatha appropriate?

4. Why is Asagai’s nickname for Beneatha appropriate?

4 REV. 4.13.12 5. What does Mama say is “dangerous?”

6. Where does Ruth actually go instead of the doctor’s office?

7. Why does Mama call Walter a disgrace to his father’s memory?

Act II, Scene One

Summary ______

Questions

1. What is Beneatha’s family doing when George came in?

2. Define “assimilationist Negroes”.

3. What does Mama do with her money?

5 REV. 4.13.12 4. What is Walter’s reaction to Mama’s purchase? Ruth’s reaction?

Act II, Scene Two

Summary ______

Questions

1. How does Ruth find out Walter has not been going to work?

2. Where has Walter been going instead of work?

3. What does Mama do for Walter?

Act II, Scene Three

Summary ______

Questions

1. Who is Karl Lindner, and why does he visit the Younger’s house? What do you think about Linder’s visit?

6 REV. 4.13.12 2. What is Walter’s reaction to Lindner?

3. What present does Mama get?

4. What news does Bobo bring to Walter? Why does this matter to the plot?

Act III

Summary ______

Questions

1. Why doesn’t Beneatha want to be a doctor anymore?

2. How does Asagai define “idealists” and “realists?”

3. What does Asagai ask Beneatha to do?

4. What fault does Mama find with herself?

7 REV. 4.13.12 5. What solution does Walter have? Discuss.

6. Why doesn’t Walter take the money Lindner offered? Your thoughts?

7. Do the Youngers stay or move? What do you think about that?

Plot Diagram

Introduction ______

Rising Action ______

CLIMAX ______

FALLING ACTION ______8 REV. 4.13.12 Conclusion ______

Questions to ponder and answer:

1. What are the dreams of the main characters—Mama, Ruth, Beneatha, and Walter—and how are they deferred? ______

2. What does Mama's plant represent, and how does the symbol evolve over the course of the play? ______

3. How does the description of the Youngers' apartment contribute to the mood of the play? ______

9 REV. 4.13.12