A1S1 When family members argue, the reasons may be more complex than they at first appear. - To take the money the white people offered Do you think she will agree to his offer? Mama sees an abortion as inconceivable for a number of reasons: first there are her religious beliefs. SparkNotes PLUS They do not seem happy, yet they engage in some light humor. Mama's generation worked hard so that their children could have a "better life," which, to her, meant a life without segregation. eNotes Editorial, 16 June 2020, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/explain-the-different-reactions-of-ruth-and-262577. Latest answer posted February 28, 2021 at 2:55:14 PM. How do they react? Also, Mama is asking Walter to save his unborn child from a death inflicted by poverty, but Walters obsession with material wealth prevents him from taking such a stand because the baby will only make that poverty worse and make his dreams even less achievable. We've all got acute ghetto-itis Beneatha says this when Asagai drops by to visit, immediately after the Younger family has had a depressing conversation about their financial station in life and Ruth's possible pregnancy. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Masterplots II: Juvenile & Young Adult Literature Series A Raisin in the Sun Analysis, Masterpieces of Womens Literature A Raisin in the Sun Analysis, Critical Context (Masterplots II: African American Literature), Critical Context (Masterplots II: Juvenile & Young Adult Literature Series), Critical Context (Comprehensive Guide to Drama), https://www.enotes.com/topics/raisin-in-the-sun. With the nickname, Asagai acknowledges and celebrates Beneathas aspirations and desire for something more than just the basics, whether in love or life, which she deeply appreciates. Struggling with distance learning? Mama implores Walter to honor his fathers memory and take pride in his own manhood by convincing Ruth to not have an abortion. -She would've had a similar reaction to Walter and gotten very upset, -Gardening Tools from Ruth, Walter, and Bennie. Why would Hansberry include this small exchange in the play when it does not seem to develop any of the themes? These phone calls serve parallel functions for those who receive them and demonstrate what is important to both of the characters: Walter is waiting to move quickly on the investment, while Beneatha cannot wait to see Asagai and introduce him to her family. Some commentators believe that Naomi was instructing Ruth to be Ruth bears the responsibility not only for literally carrying the child, but also for shouldering a significant part of the accompanying financial burden. -Lots of emotions at once. Will he try to stop Ruth? April 30, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 A2S2 What does Travis want to be when he grows up? BENEATHA: (Halting at the door) To become a queen of the Nile! What subtle glimpse into Beneatha's soul does this conversation provide? Read an in-depth analysis of Ruth Younger. He finds it hard to act as a man in the way his mother wants when she does not treat him as a man in the same way she treated his father. behind the bureau A bureau is a piece of furniture that was usually kept in the bedroom and used for storing clothing. Tendremos que salir a las seis de la maana, lo que A1S1 Describe the setting of the story. The fact that Beneatha is placed between these two men shows that, as an African American, she is ambivalently stuck between being an assimilationist and being proud of her African heritage. If a white person boarded the bus and a black person was seated in the front, the black person knew, almost instinctively, that he had to get up in deference to the white person who needed that seat. Through these reactions, it can be gathered that Beneatha is spoiled: she has no qualms about hurting her family's feelings when she is angry. Walter's power struggles with Ruth and Mama would still simmer and Beneatha would still be willful and spoiled. George, on the one hand, represents total assimilation into white culture. for a group? -Walter's jealous of the way he grew up Mama's look is a warning to Beneatha; Mama does not want Travis to know that Ruth is pregnant and is at the doctor's office because this would only worry the boy. Ruth and Beneatha are worried and uncertain, while Mama simply expresses her hope that the baby will be a girl. Why is Ruth upset by Travis's talk of the rat? Discount, Discount Code Purchasing This is another point that reveals Beneatha's explosive and apparently selfish character. She and Mama discuss Beneathas worries about her familys ignorance about Africa and African people. A+ Student Essay: The Role of Money in the Play, Lorraine Hansberry and A Raisin in the Sun Background. For Ruth, the news that Mama has bought a house for them all comes as a godsend. She believes that Tituba knows how to speak to the dead, and she wished to learn who murdered her seven children Mama tries to help her relax. How does this fit Walter's character? By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. Hansberry uses similar minor interactions to develop the characters throughout the play. A2S3 When do the Youngers finally realize Mr. Lindner's purpose for calling on them? -When Walter says "who even cares about you" to Ruth A2S1 What does George mean when he calls Walter "Prometheus"? A1S2 Why does Mama tell Walter that he is a disgrace to his father's memory? Some word pairs will be antonyms, some will be synonyms, and some will simply be words often used in the same context. -Asagai teases Bennie bc her hair is straightened (not embracing her natural hair) -She gets very upset that her son is growing up chasing rats -Thinking about having to raise another child in the small apartment, in an unsafe/unsanitary area Continue to start your free trial. Why does he come to see Walter? What is Beneatha's reaction? "Explain the different reactions of Ruth and Walter to Mama's announcement that she has bought a house in A Raisin in the Sun." Mama sees an abortion as inconceivable for a number of reasons: first there are her religious Choosing the Correct Form and Use of Who and Whom. A2S3 What do you think Mama would have said and done if she had been at home when Mr. Lindner visited? Some of the vocabulary words have related meanings. Beneatha gets up next and after discovering that the bathroom is occupied by someone from another family, engages in a verbal joust with Walter. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. From his perspective, he enters the apartment excited about the money, and is dismissed and treated like a child. This scene emphasizes the clash of cultures between the American-born black and the African. Want 100 or more? Ruth and Mama talk about Walter and Beneatha, and Ruth suddenly faints. It was your money and you did what you wanted with it. The Youngers also seem to want to live this dream, though their struggle to attain any semblance of it is dramatically different from the struggle a similar suburban family might encounter, because the Youngers are not a stereotypical middle-class family. Does Ruth agree? What do you think will happen to Ruth? Still, no matter how much Mama works, the plant remains feeble, because there is so little light. WebRuth calls the doctor she, which arouses Mamas suspicion because their family doctor is a man. Mamas refusal to support Walters dream frustrates and emasculates him, eroding his sense of his worth in being what he feels he should be: a husband and father, a man, who can support his family. The fact that Beneatha leaves in a "blaze of glory" may suggest Hansberry's approval of Beneatha's new mindset. Their small dwelling on the South Side of Chicago has two bedroomsone for Mama and Beneatha, and one for Ruth and Walter Lee. Circle the correct form The next day, Saturday, the Youngers are cleaning their apartment and waiting for the insurance check to arrive. Before Asagai's arrival at the Younger apartment, Beneatha sternly admonishes her mother not to say anything embarrassingly naive or patronizing about Africa. What does the following statement by Beneatha's foreshadow? Walter, in contrast, and others of his generation, take that particular "freedom" for granted. Ruth feels ill and anxious about her pregnancy. on 50-99 accounts. WebRuth gets up first and after some noticeable difficulty, rouses Travis and Walter as she makes breakfast. So what you need me to say it was all right for? He says, bitterly, to hurt her as deeply as he knows is possible that she butchered his dream. Regan wanted her career to be _____________ until she narrowed her interests, so she refused to sign the indefeasible contract to be a doctor for the Navy. How is it like Mama's childrenand Mama herself? Why do the Youngers decide to go through with the move? Do you think she is being fair? When she rebukes himas if he were still a childhe responds, "I'm a grown man." Mama is confused because she does not understand the reference to the queen of the Nile. Mama, though, feels morally repulsed by the idea of getting into the liquor business. The news of this house gives her hope and a future for both her family and for the unborn baby inside of her. Later, Beneatha will put these robes on and become a "Nigerian Princess," symbolizing her acceptance of her heritage. She expresses sympathy for her grandson, Travis, while she questions Ruths ability to care for him properly. Mamas recitation shows that she, while perhaps not as interested in her African heritage as Beneatha, is willing to make an effort in order to make her guest feel at home. When Asagai telephones for permission to drop by, Beneatha consents reluctantly because she knows that her mother would not want company to see the house in disarray. -It is an all white area for a group? Similarly, the speculation over Ruths pregnancy imbues the scene with a sense of anxiety and tension. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. The check represents an outside force that enters into their lives and changes everything, for better or for worse. They are simply caught up in the excitement of the moment the receipt of the check. She wants to become an independent and liberated woman. During the thirties and forties, the mass exodus of blacks from the south to the northern cities was an attempt to flee segregation injustices, including being forced to ride at the back of buses. We can see from this quote that, although the new house represented a hope and future to Ruth, to Walter it represents the way that his dreams and hopes have been squashed. A3S1 Why does Walter call Mr. Lindner? How does this contrast with her mother's feelings? Please wait while we process your payment. What are the qualities of an accurate map? WebEarlier in the play, Ruth was stressed about the knowledge that she was pregnant. Walter does so knowing that he faces the emasculating task of having to ask Ruth for money himself as a result. They discuss the man that Beneatha has been dating, George Murchison. Mamas hospitality is a reflection of the pride that she takes in her family and its treatment of others. Beneatha refers to the "ghetto" in which they live as though it brings with it a disease that she calls "ghetto-iris.". In his opinion, her hair should look as it does naturally: she should stop straightening it to look like white hair and instead wear an afro. Why does Mama buy a house in an all-white neighborhood? Read more about the nuanced use of dialect by each character in A Raisin in the Sun. Suddenly, there is a commotion in the street, and. Historical Context Essay: A Raisin in the Sun on the Brink of the 1960s, Literary Context Essay: Hansberry, Langston Hughes, & the Harlem Renaissance. The small potted plant acts as a temporary stand-in for her much larger dream. What this means is that Asagai sees Beneatha as someone who has a longing that will not be filled by material possessions alone. Continue to start your free trial. Thus, she tells Travis that Ruth is out on an errand and will be back eventually. Mama explains to Walter that for her generation, freedom from lynching, the end of segregation, and the ability to find work were all considerable social advancements. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1725 titles we cover. As a playwright, Hansberry must develop characters through dialogue because there is no narration that can do it for her. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. Beneatha wants to know everything about Africa and is more than pleased when Asagai gives her authentic Nigerian robes, along with some recordings of African music. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Free trial is available to new customers only. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the British gained control over the slave trade there. -Based on their personalities they will probably stay together but it's not a good ides. Hansberry uses this allusion to emphasize Mama's need to keep the appearance of a nice home. The conflicts of Ruth's pregnancy and Beneatha's assimilation would have arisen without the introduction of the check. Everyone is worried about the check arriving safely because the check is the physical symbol of their freedom from their current life. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Mama, outraged at such a pronouncement, asserts that she is head of the household and that there will be no such thoughts expressed in her home. You run our lives like you want to. Note the way she responds:HALLELUJAH! Act I Scene 2, Mrs. Johnson (Mrs. Wilhelmina Othella Johnson). In the south, whites rode in the front of buses, blacks in the back. What do you think accounts for that improvement in their relationship? -I think Walter will only fall deeper into his hole and not try and stop Ruth from killing their baby. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% Beneatha argues that God does not seem to help her or the family. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. Although the Younger family seems alienated from white middle-class culture, they harbor the same materialistic dreams as the rest of American society. Mama's? creating and saving your own notes as you read. Why does he react this way? to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. -Need to decide if she is going to keep the baby or not. he ringing of the doorbell signifies that the check has finally arrived. A1S1 Why do you think Mama likes the plant so much? Even if Walter's ideas were unacceptable and offensive, someone in his family should have taken the time to listen. Read more about what Walter plans to do with the insurance money. When the play opened in 1959, all that most people knew about Africa was via the broadcasts from the various colonial rulers and/or the Hollywood messages contained in Tarzan movies. -Based on how unsafe their area is and how young he is, he deserves a punishment so he won't do it again. Finally, the check arrives. Removing #book# Read more about the value and purpose of dreams as a theme. Owning a house had always been a dream she had shared with her husband, and now that he is gone she nurtures this dream even more powerfully. Finally we see a side of Beneatha that is not just spoiled and demanding. Walter scans the front page of the newspaper and reads that another bomb was set off, and Ruth responds with indifference. of the pronoun in parentheses. What is the significance of the discussion between Mama and Beneatha about Africa? Compare and contrast Joseph Asagai with George Murchison in A Raisin in the Sun. What is Ruth's view of what they should do? This scene significantly dramatizes the lack of understanding between parent and child. Latest answer posted June 28, 2020 at 11:07:39 AM. It is possible that Hansberry is attempting to make a bold feminist statement with this plot twist. (Even in the northern cities, vestiges of segregation were apparent.) Beneatha's soft acceptance of this assessment of herself shows that she does indeed see herself in this light. A2S3 How do you know that Ruth and Walter have been getting along better for the past day or two? When he asks why his wife cannot wear pearls, he is asking why he has to resign himself to poverty, being ever grateful that he no longer has to ride at the back of a bus. WebTravis is chasing the rat with his friends, which is symbolic of the myriad of forces that are "chasing" and seeking to "trap" children of color in America. Nigeria The most populated nation in Africa with more than 250 different ethnic groups. Why does Beneatha want to become a doctor? Should she? Walter and Ruth, who occupy the middle ground in terms of age between Mama and Beneatha, have also tempered their dreams more than Beneatha has. Hansberry may have selected the name Beneatha to represent the oppression of African-American women, drawing on the word 'beneath.' - Because she tries to make an intellectual comment about many African Americans ignorance Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! The phone rings, and Beneatha answers. Beneathas statement that the family suffers from ghetto-itis draws attention to the perils of life in a segregated ghetto neighborhood. What is Mama suggesting when she says to Beneatha: "I guess I see why we done commence to get so interested in Africa 'round here"? Act I Scene 1, Next $24.99 Already a member? -Going sledding down steep stairs when it snowed and one time a kid splitting his face open -When he says their neighbors have offered to buy their house Both interpretations seem valid. The bureau is the taller piece of bedroom furniture, containing only drawer space for clothing. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. -The hope of a better future and better things coming. What, if any of the family's current conflicts has the issue of the insurance money caused? Beneatha and Travis start fighting, and Beneatha threatens him with the spray gun. Mama's can of kitchen cleanser is always empty because she must at least keep her home very clean, since she cannot keep it looking new. For him, Mamas news does not represent a hopeful future, but betrayal. How does Walter plan to use the insurance money? Although they are poor, still their house is clean; although the furniture is old, there is still the ritualistic weekly polishing. Interestingly, Beneathas spraying reverses the pattern of the Youngers dreams. In A Raisin in the Sun, why do you think Mama changes her mind and gives Walter the insurance money? What is significant about the exchange between Beneatha and Asagai about Beneatha's hair? Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. How does Ruth behave when she learns It is difficult in such a crowded atmosphere as the Younger household for one person to be singled out and heard. Do you think the relationship can be saved? (one code per order). Rather, they live in a world in which being middle class is also a dream. -His bosses wife calls asking where he has been Open hostility, however, between the numerous rival factions within the country bred chaos, with several attempts to overthrow the government, civil war, and finally mass starvation. A3S1 How does Asagai answer Beneatha? -Walter gets upset because he wants Travis to have/be something more in life. Travis then leaves for school, and Walter tells Ruth that he wants to use the check to invest in a liquor store with a few of his friends. To those of Mama's generation, it should have been enough that Walter Lee's generation can ride at the front of a bus. Mama cannot understand why Walter Lee wants more from life than to sit anywhere he wants on public transportation. What does Asagai's use of a different name imply and foreshadow? Mama, however, ignores Walter in the same way that Walter earlier ignored Ruth's attempts to tell him about her pregnancy. A3S1 What does Mama mean when she observes that Walter has finally "come into his manhood"? What does the check symbolize, from both a plot standpoint and a dramatic standpoint? Mama attempts to discredit Walters money-centric worldview by reminding him of the life-or-death struggles endured by earlier generations of African Americans. There is an issue that needs to be discussedRuth's pregnancybut Walter does not know that there is an issue. You'll also receive an email with the link. Hansberry uses these two men to show the issues with which Beneatha is struggling. Is it realistic? A+ Student Essay: The Role of Money in the Play, Lorraine Hansberry and A Raisin in the Sun Background, Read more about the nuanced use of dialect by each character in. It foreshadows two things: first, that she will allow her hair to return to its natural state, and second, that Beneatha will get together with Asagai and possibly go to Africa with him. Mamas reaction to the check shows the negative consequences of money, as the question of its use weighs heavily on Mama, as well as the fact that this money was earned through the death of her husband, and as such cant possibly be worth what it cost to get it. Explain how the ruins of Great Zimbabwe reflected the capital's wealth. and any corresponding bookmarks? In this conversation, Mama represents a colonial/imperialist view of Africans as savages who need to be "saved" and "civilized." Note what he says to Mama in his anger: What you need me to say you done right for? For Mama, the next generation their hope. Unsure of her identity as a Black woman joining an overwhelmingly white world, Beneatha turns to Asagai to see if he can supply a lost part of her self. The other conflicts, such as the special treatment that Beneatha receives from Mama, Walter's resentment at not being head of the house, etc., might not have come to the foreground without the arrival of the check. Why do Asagai and Beneatha argue about assimilationism? Ruth brings herself closer to her child, while Walter isolates himself in the other roomliterally and figuratively shutting his mother out. Walter wants the larger freedom of being totally independent of everyone; he wants to be able to earn his living without having a "boss"; more important, he wants to be able to generate his own income without being dependent on a salary as a chauffeur. -surface: been married a long time and are struggling to be happy together. How does Ruth try to handle his rudeness? You'll also receive an email with the link. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Contact us Is Brooke shields related to willow shields? Walter, on the other hand, lacks this singular dedication to his family. How does Walter lose the insurance money? Free trial is available to new customers only. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Although Beneatha takes interest in her African heritage, her straightened hair projects a message of assimilation, of managing her black attributes to make it easier to fit in, which Beneatha abhors.