Ruth Younger: The Supportive Wife and Mother

Ruth Younger, around 30 years old, is a pivotal character in A Raisin in the Sun, representing the challenges faced by African American women in the 1950s. Her characterization reveals a complex individual balancing personal desires with family responsibilities.

Ruth's Key Traits:

• Soft and caring personality
• Tired of the monotonous daily routine
• Manages household duties while holding a job
• Dreams of more living space, especially for her son Travis

Highlight: Ruth's character embodies the struggle between personal aspirations and familial obligations, a central theme in the play.

Ruth's conflicts arise from her role as a mediator and her own personal struggles:

1. Avoids discussing Walter's business ambitions, causing tension in their relationship
2. Grapples with the decision of whether to have an abortion
3. Often puts her own needs behind those of others

Quote: "Honey... life don't have to be like this. I mean sometimes people can do things so that things are better..."

Ruth's behavior is characterized by:

• A caring and loving nature towards her family
• A desire for the best for everyone
• Selflessness, often at the expense of her own well-being

Vocabulary: Characterization - The way an author develops a character's personality and role in a story through their actions, dialogue, and thoughts.

Beneatha Younger: The Ambitious Dreamer

Beneatha Younger, a 20-year-old medical school student, is a pivotal character in A Raisin in the Sun. Her characterization represents the younger generation's struggle for identity and progress in 1950s America.

Key Aspects of Beneatha's Character:

• Aspiring medical student
• Non-religious, challenging family traditions
• Exploring her African heritage and identity
• Attempting to balance American cultural norms with her roots

Highlight: Beneatha's character embodies the theme of self-discovery and the clash between tradition and modernity.

Beneatha's conflicts stem from her pursuit of education and identity:

1. Romantic tension between Asagai (who represents her African roots) and George (who represents assimilation)
2. Disagreements with Walter over her medical school ambitions
3. Feeling misunderstood by her family due to her progressive views

Quote: "I am looking for my identity!"

Beneatha's relationships reveal her character:

• With Asagai: Explores African culture but questions traditional gender roles
• With George: Struggles with the pressure to assimilate into white culture
• With family: Faces criticism for her modern ideas and lack of religious faith

Example: Beneatha's interest in African dance and her changing hairstyles demonstrate her journey of cultural exploration.

Lena (Mama) Younger: The Family Matriarch

Lena Younger, also known as Mama, is a central figure in A Raisin in the Sun. At around 60 years old, she embodies the older generation's values and dreams, playing a crucial role in the family dynamics.

Lena's Key Characteristics:

• Widowed, having lost her husband Big Walter
• Deeply religious and family-oriented
• Dreams of owning a house with a garden
• Protective and loving towards her grandson Travis

Highlight: Mama's character represents the importance of family unity and the pursuit of the American Dream in the face of racial discrimination.

Lena's actions and decisions drive the plot:

1. Supports Beneatha's medical school ambitions
2. Buys a house in a white neighborhood with the insurance money
3. Gives Walter the remaining money, trusting him to make the right decision

Conflicts arise from Lena's traditional values clashing with her children's modern aspirations:

• Worries about Walter's obsession with money
• Disapproves of Beneatha's lack of faith
• Opposes Ruth's consideration of abortion

Quote: "There is always something left to love. And if you ain't learned that, you ain't learned nothing."

Lena's behavior is characterized by:

• Strong moral convictions based on her faith
• Unwavering love and support for her family
• Willingness to make sacrifices for her children's future

Definition: Characterization through action occurs when a character's personality and motivations are revealed through their decisions and behaviors in the story.

Family Dynamics in A Raisin in the Sun

The intricate relationships between family members in A Raisin in the Sun form the core of the play's dramatic tension and thematic exploration. Each character's dreams and conflicts contribute to the overall family dynamic.

Key Relationships:

1. Lena (Mama) and her children:

   • Supports Beneatha's medical school aspirations
   • Worries about Walter's fixation on money
   • Wants her children to maintain religious and moral values

2. Walter and Ruth:

   • Strained by financial stress and differing priorities
   • Walter feels unsupported in his business dreams
   • Ruth struggles to understand and cope with Walter's frustrations

3. Beneatha and her suitors (Asagai and George):

   • Represents her internal conflict between African heritage and American assimilation
   • Highlights her journey of self-discovery and independence

4. The family's relationship with Travis:

   • Symbolizes hope for the future and motivation for the adults' sacrifices

Highlight: The family's conflicts and interactions reflect broader themes of generational differences, racial identity, and the pursuit of the American Dream.

Character Development:

• Walter's journey from frustration to responsibility
• Beneatha's exploration of identity and culture
• Ruth's struggle between personal desires and family obligations
• Lena's adaptation to her children's changing world

Example: The decision about how to use the insurance money reveals each character's priorities and dreams, driving the plot forward.

The family's interactions are characterized by:

• Love and support, despite disagreements
• Tension between individual aspirations and family unity
• The impact of external societal pressures on internal family dynamics

Quote: "What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" - Langston Hughes, whose poem inspired the play's title and themes.

Page 5: Literary Devices Part 2

This section continues with more advanced literary devices, particularly focusing on figurative language.

Definition: Metaphor - indirect comparison between two unlike things Example: Personification - giving human qualities to non-human elements

Walter Lee Younger: A Complex Protagonist

Walter Lee Younger is a central character in A Raisin in the Sun, embodying the frustrations and aspirations of African American men in 1950s America. In his mid-thirties, Walter works as a chauffeur but dreams of greater success and financial stability for his family.

Highlight: Walter's character represents the struggle between societal limitations and personal ambition, a key theme in the play.

Characterization of Walter in Act 1:

• Desperate and frustrated with his life situation
• Dislikes his job as a chauffeur
• Believes a man's worth is tied to his ability to provide for his family
• Fixated on the idea of owning a liquor store as a path to wealth

Walter's conflicts stem from his intense desire for success and his feelings of inadequacy:

1. Questions his sister Beneatha's dream of becoming a doctor
2. Clashes with his wife Ruth, who doesn't know how to handle his unhappiness
3. Feels his mother favors Beneatha over him
4. Opposes Ruth's consideration of abortion

Quote: "I want so many things that they are driving me kind of crazy..."

Walter's behavior is characterized by:

• A short temper
• Frequent drinking
• Separation from his family due to his obsession with money

Definition: Characterization is the way an author presents a character's personality, motivations, and conflicts through their actions, dialogue, and thoughts.