Table of Contents
The conflict of the play is that the family is getting a check for $10,000 from a life insurance plan, and all the members of the family have a different idea of how the money should be spent. Some of the main events of the play are: Mama puts some of the money down on a new house and gives to her son Walter, the money that Walter was supposed to use for his sisters’ schooling he uses for his own investments, and then Willy runs off with the money. This starts tension between Walter and his sister Beneatha because neither one of them will be able to do what they planned now.
Characters
- Lena Younger: (protagonist) the mother of both Walter and Beneatha. Throughout the play she is called “Mama” since she is the head of the household. Mama is a hard-working, black woman that just wants her family to move up in the world. She is a protagonist in the play because her dream of getting the house in a nicer neighborhood for her family is fulfilled.
- Walter Lee Younger: (protagonist) He works as a chauffeur for a white man so he is not happy with his life and he is rude to his family members. He is a protagonist in the play because he decides to go with his morals over money and decline the offer from Karl Lindner.
- Beneatha Younger: 20 years old, a very educated woman, who wants to be a doctor. She wants to use the money so that she can continue her education
- Ruth Younger: the wife of Walter, who is about 30 years old. Their marriage does have problems but after they move she hopes that things will get better
- Travis Younger: either 10 or 11 years old, and the son of Ruth and Walter. His favorite thing to do is play with the rats in his building. This is one of the reasons Mama wants to get her family out of this lifestyle
- Joseph Asagai: a Nigerian man who is in love with Beneatha. He talks a lot about his culture and he proposes to her
- George Murchison: a very rich African American man, who is trying hard to impress Beneatha, so he can ask for her hand in marriage. Everyone in the family likes George. The only issue is that Beneatha has a hard time over-looking the fact that he is so easy to give in to the white culture and forget about his own African heritage.
- Willy Harris: (antagonist) he tells Walter that it is a good idea to invest in a liquor store but ends up just taking the Youngers’ money and running. Since, he stole the money he is an antagonist.
- Karl Linder: (antagonist) he is a white man that tries to convince them not to move into the all-white neighborhood. When the youngers’ do not want to listen to his advice he becomes rude
Setting
A Raisin in the Sun, takes place during the late 1950s in the South Side, Chicago. The era does affect the play since it shows the struggles of a black family living in poverty trying to make a better life for themselves. Yes, all the scenes of the play are done in the small apartment. This play is done over the time span of a couple of days.
Given Circumstances
Before the play begins, the father of Walter and Beneatha has just passed away. Their mother is waiting for the life insurance check to come in the mail. However, each member has a different idea of how the money should be used. Religion effects the characters since Walter wants to investment in a liquor store, but Mama does not want to due to her religious beliefs.
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Conclusion
The play A Raisin in the Sun was an interesting play. Although, I could not directly relate to the situation that was happening between the characters. I do think that this is relatable to many families because when they get any large sum of money they cannot agree on how to spend it.
