A Raisin in The Sun

A Raisin in the Sun
By: Lorraine Hansberry

A Raisin in the Sun: Act 1, Scene 1
The Younger family is made up of five people, all of whom are living in a small, two-bedroom apartment
in Chicago. Mama (Lena), the matriarch of the family, has just lost her husband and is waiting on the
$10,000 check from his life insurance. She shares a bedroom with Beneatha, the youngest of her two
children. Walter Lee, Mama's oldest child, and his wife, Ruth, sleep in the other bedroom, and their son,
Travis, sleeps on the couch in the living room. The furniture in their apartment is old and worn, and they
share a bathroom in the hall with their neighbors.
Ruth is the first one in the family to wake for the day. She seems to be struggling, but she eventually
manages to wake both Walter Lee and Travis. She starts preparing breakfast and talking with Walter in
the kitchen, while Travis goes out to the hallway bathroom to get ready for the day. The main topic of
conversation is the insurance check until Travis comes into the kitchen and asks them for fifty cents for
school. While Ruth insists that they do not have the money to give him, Travis keeps pushing for the
money, and Walter eventually hands him a dollar. After Travis leaves, Walter tells Ruth that he wants to
use the money from the insurance check to open a liquor store, leading to an argument between the
two.
When Beneatha wakes up, she decides to start fighting with Walter about the money. She wants to use
the money to pay for medical school, but Walter thinks that medical school is not a good idea for a
woman. Beneatha argues that it does not matter what either of them really think, because it is Mama's
money and she should decide what to do with it. Walter then has to go to work, but he gave his money
for the car fare to Travis earlier, so he has to ask Ruth for some money.
At this point Mama enters this kitchen. She starts to imply that Ruth does not know how to take care of
Travis properly as she tends to her plant. She then asks for Ruth's opinion regarding the check, to which
Ruth replies that she thinks Walter's idea for a liquor store is a good idea, as it may give him back some
of his happiness that he has lost. However, Mama feels like opening a liquor store is against her morals,
and states that she wants to buy a house with the money. She wants to live somewhere with a yard so
that Travis has somewhere to play.
When the conversation gets directed at Beneatha, the other two women start to poke fun at her and
her constant new hobbies, and they get an even bigger laugh when she says she is trying new things to
"express herself." When the conversation shifts to the man that Beneatha recently started dating,
George Murchison, she tells them that she thinks he is shallow, but they think she should stay with him
anyway because he has money. As the topic shifts to religion after Beneatha uses the Lord's name in
vain, the conversation goes sour quickly when Beneatha says that God is not helping their family. Mama
slaps her and forces her to say that God exists in their house, and then Beneatha leaves for school. As
Mama and Ruth continue talking, Ruth faints, and the scene ends.
A Raisin in the Sun: Act 1, Scene 2

At the start of Scene Two, the check has still not arrived. The phone rings several times in this scene. The
first call is from one of Walter's friends, Willy Harris, wanting to discuss their plan to open the liquor
store. Walter promises Willy that he will give him the money when the check comes. The second call is
from Beneatha's classmate, Joseph Asagai. She invites him over even though the house is still dirty,
which causes Mama quite a bit of irritation. Beneatha explains to Mama that Asagai is from Africa, and
she expresses concern that the family does not understand anything about African culture.
At this point, Ruth comes in, returning from her doctor's appointment. Ruth has learned that she is two
months pregnant, and she is unsure how to feel about it. Beneatha shares her feelings, while Mama is
just hopeful that the baby is a girl.
Asagai shows up for his visit, and he brings Nigerian clothes and music as gifts for Beneatha. He
expresses his distaste for her straightened hair and tells her that he could help her discover her African
identity. He does not understand why Beneatha does not share the feelings he has for her, to which she
replies that she wants more than love. She wants to be independent. Asagai has quite a negative
reaction to this desire, and this greatly disappoints Beneatha. Mama returns to the room and is
introduced to Asagai. She tries to be as understanding as she can be with African culture, sharing some
of the information Beneatha told her before he arrived. When Asagai leaves, he refers to Beneatha as
"Alaiyo," and then informs the two women that it translates to "One for Whom Bread - Food - Is Not
Enough."
The insurance check finally arrives to the apartment. All Walter wants to talk about is his liquor store, so
he ignores Ruth's requests to discuss the pregnancy. After Ruth locks herself in the bedroom, Mama tells
Walter that Ruth is pregnant and that she is worried Ruth will decide to get an abortion. Walter assures
Mama that he does not think Ruth will get an abortion, but she comes out of the bedroom and states
that that is exactly what she plans to do.
A Raisin in the Sun Act 2 Summary

A Raisin in the Sun Act 2 Scene 1
Act 2, Scene 1 of A Raisin in the Sun opens later the same day that Act I ends. Beneatha is dressed in the
Nigerian robes and dances to the Nigerian music that Joseph Asagai brought her. Walter, drunk but
joyful, initially ridicules but then joins her. Beneatha's date, George Murchison arrives, interrupting the
dance. He is unimpressed by Beneatha's attire and shocked that she has cut her hair short and has left it
unstraightened. Beneatha and George have a heated discussion on assimilation. While Beneatha
changes her clothes, Walter attempts to form a business partnership with George, whose father is a
businessman. When George rebuffs him, Walter becomes hostile.
Ruth begins a discussion with Walter, and after some resistance, Walter softens and concedes that
things have been tough for them and he does not know what to do. Mama returns home and tells
Travis, Ruth and Walter's son, that she has bought a house. Ruth is ecstatic, but Walter is furious. Mama
reveals a concerning detail--the house is in Clybourne Park, an all-white community.

Scene 2 takes place on a Friday night, a few weeks after Mama buys the house. Moving boxes are
scattered about the apartment. Beneatha and George return from a date. He becomes angry when she
will not let him kiss her. She tells him to leave after he informs her that he is not interested in talking
with her. Mrs. Johnson, a nosy, meddling neighbor, arrives. She tells the Youngers about a Black family
whose house was bombed after moving into a white neighborhood, possibly to scare them into staying.
Ruth answers a phone call from Walter's employer. He reveals that Walter has not been to work in three
days and will be fired if he does not show up again. Walter affirms that he has been skipping work
because he is depressed over Mama shattering his dream of owning a business. Mama relents and gives
Walter the remaining $6500. She instructs him to put $3000 in a bank account for Beneatha's education
and to use the rest however he decides. Walter is touched that Mama trusts him and begins dreaming of
how their lives will drastically improve.

Scene 3 takes place one week after Scene 2. It is moving day and the family is joyously packing. Ruth
reveals that she and Walter are doing better and have gone on a date. A white man named Mr. Lindner
comes to the door. As a representative of Clybourne Park, he explains that the Youngers would not be a
good fit in the neighborhood on account of their race. He offers to buy the house from Mama at a price
higher than she paid. Walter refuses the offer and kicks the man out. The family continues to pack and
joke about the situation. They give Mama gifts to use in her new garden. Bobo arrives to speak with
Walter. He tells Walter that Willy Harris ran off with the money Walter had given Willy to put towards
opening the business. Walter then reveals that he never put money in the bank for Beneatha; he gave it
all to Willy. Mama breaks down, beats Walter, and collapses.
A Raisin in the Sun Act 3 Summary

Act 3 opens with the family devastated by Walter's news of the lost money. Beneatha has invited her
friend and love interest, Joseph Asagai, to help her pack up the apartment to move to the new house. In
the course of their conversation, Joseph proposes to her. He asks Beneatha to move to Nigeria with him,
which he will do after completing his studies in America.
Meanwhile, Walter announces that he has decided to contact ''the Man'' (Mr. Linder) and agree to sell
their new home. Walter does this against the vehement protestations of his mother and sister.
However, in the play's climax, when Linder arrives at the apartment and offers the sale contract to
Walter to sign, Walter changes his mind: ''We don't want to make no trouble for nobody or fight no
causes, and we will try to be good neighbors. And that's all we got to say about that. (He looks the man
absolutely in the eyes) We don't want your money. (He turns and walks away).'' The play ends with the
family packing their belongings and moving into their new home.

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A Raisin in the Sun

By: Lorraine Hansberry

A Raisin in the Sun: Act 1, Scene 2

A Raisin in the Sun Act 2 Summary

A Raisin in the Sun Act 2 Scene 2

A Raisin in the Sun Act 2 Scene 3

A Raisin in the Sun Act 3 Summary

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