A Raisin in the Sun Discussion Questions

Please answer the questions provided below. Your answers must be typed. Your answers also must be complete sentences. If your answers are not complete sentences, you will not receive credit for the assignment. You do not have to include the questions. A copy of your responses must be submitted on Canvas by the due date and time for you to receive credit.

Act I, Scene I

1. Walter and Ruth react differently when Travis asks for money for school. What are Walter’s and Ruth’s attitudes about money?

2. How does Walter think women should treat their men?

3. What are Beneatha’s hopes for her own future? Why is Walter concerned about Beneatha’s plans?

4. What does Mama retrieve when she opens the window? What is unique about this object?

5. In conversations with Ruth and Beneatha in this scene, Mama’s values become clearer. How does Mama feel about money?

6. What kind of man was Big Walter? Why does Mama claim he worked himself to death?

7. How much does Mama value religion? How does she react to Beneatha’s denial of God?

8. Mama compares her plant to her children. How are the plant and the children alike? What does the plant symbolize to Mama?

Act I, Scene II

9. What does Asagai represent to Beneatha? What does Asagai say and do to encourage Beneatha’s search for her identity?

10. How do Walter’s and Mama’s views of the meaning of life conflict?

Act II, Scene I

11. When does Act II begin? What is Beneatha doing as the first scene opens? What is she wearing?

12. Why does Walter join her in the dance?

13. How does the arrival of George Murchison change the mood of the scene?

14. Beneatha calls George an “assimilationist.” What does she mean by that?

15. What is Walter’s attitude toward George?

16. What is George’s attitude toward Walter?

17. Who is Prometheus, and why does George call Walter by that name?

Act II, Scene II

18. What sort of woman does George say he wants Beneatha to be, and why doesn’t George want to listen to Beneatha’s ideas?

19. How does Ruth find out that Walter has not been to work for three days? What has Walter been doing instead of going to work?

20. How does Mama react to Walter’s explanation of where he’s been? What does she give Walter, and how does Walter react to being entrusted with it?

21. When Walter tells Travis that he wants to hand him the world, what sort of life is Walter envisioning for his family?

Act II, Scene III

22. Why does Mr. Lindner come to the Youngers’ apartment?

23. Why don’t the residents of Clybourne Park want the Youngers in their neighborhood?

24. How does Walter react to Lindner’s offer?

25. What is significant about Mama’s preparing her plant for the move as she listens to the details of the encounter with Lindner?

Act III

26. When does Act III begin? What are Walter and Beneatha doing? When Asagai arrives at the apartment, how does his mood contrast with Walter’s and Beneatha’s?

27. How has the loss of the money changed Beneatha’s optimism? What does she tell Asagai? What is Asagai’s response?

28. How does Asagai define idealists and realists? Which group does he prefer to be associated with?

29. What alternative view of the future does Asagai offer to put Beneatha’s depression in perspective?

30. Describe Walter’s new view of life as being divided between the “takers” and the “tooken.”

31. What does Mama mean when she tells Waller that if he takes Lindner’s money he will have nothing left inside?

32. Beneatha says Walter is no brother of hers. What lesson does Mama have to remind Beneatha about?

33. When Lindner arrives, why does Mama insist that Travis stay in the room? What does she believe about Walter?

34. What does Walter tell Lindner? Why? Why does Lindner decide to appeal to Mama? What is her response?

35. What change do both Mama and Ruth find in Walter?

36. What is the importance of having Mama return to the empty apartment to grab her plant?