Raisin in the Sun
what does alayio mean?
"one for whom food/bread is not enough"
what is the context of the play?
1959 play was performed, schools desegregated in 1954, racial prejudice still existed, civil rights movement- stop enforcing segregationist law
what is person vs. nature?
external conflict where someone struggles to fight against forces of nature
what is person vs. person?
external conflict where two individuals with different goals struggle against one another
what is person vs. society?
external conflict where person fight societal norms and man-made institutions
what is life insurance?
all money and things accumulated throughout life go to someone when that person dies
adopting the values of a dominant culture
assimilationist
what is travis's point of view on poverty?
aware because he wants to work to make money and help out, doesnt care to much its not super important to him, seems normal to him like it has been like this for a while, grew up knowing this lifestyle
movement of actors on stage throughout scene
blocking
what is the background of lorraine hansberry?
born-1930, died-1960, grew up in chicago, moved to new york city to be a playwright, famous for this play, supreme court case hansberry vs. lee 1940 wanting to change the ability to have racially segregated neighborhoods
what choice does bennie have to make between the two guys?
both completely different guys, asagai- fascinated by culture, unsure if she loves him. george murchison- rich college boy, assimilaitonist, fights all the time
what does walter consider doing to Mr. Lidner? What does Mama do that makes him change his mind?
cheat him out of his money, mama makes travis watch his father lose basically all of his dignity
what message does mr. lidner have and how does he feel when he is giving it to the younger?
clynbourne park tried to buy house back bc white people didnt want to live in a neighborhood with black people he feels confused when they dont take the deal and mad bc he doesnt want to make people mad of clynbourne park.
what are three examples of family's poverty?
communal bathroom, issue of giving $1 to travis for school, travis sleeps on the couch
what conversation does asagai have with bennie and what does he convince her of?
dont close your faith in your dream just because you cant fix the world after she got mad about walter ruining the draem for her
what do the gardening tools represent?
express less poverty, a thank you gesture
what is the resolution?
finally move to new house
what does the poem at the beginning of the play foreshadow?
foreshadows that dreams are scary, loud, destructive, and dangerous, sometimes they are useless or drag around, or explode. in this case, the dream of walters explodes when the money gets stolen
who is george murchison and why is he important to the play?
he is one of the boyfriends of bennie, he is a student, shallow, arrogant know it all, wealthy family, walter is jealous, tries to fit in. he is important because the whole struggle of the play besides money is fitting in segregation and all of that and he basically tries to get beneatha to fit in and follow social protocol
what is waltesr fight with george murchison about?
how george isnt bitter enough, all about the money, jealous of the money george has, walter thinks he is ungrateful and makes fun of his clothes
what is person vs. themself?
internal conflict where person struggles to make a decision or choose a path
why does mama make travis watch walter cheat mr lidner out of his money?
learn from mistakes (earn something if you want it), learn responsibility (lifes what you make it), do the right thing
what are some themes in the play?
stereotype + prejudice (mr lidner) poverty strength of family (kicking out mr. lidner, walter losing money)
who is walter mad at?
mama for no money, ruth for not supporting him and thinking of abortion, bennie for not marrying george for money, white people bc jealous of everything they have, segregation and discrimination
what is the rising action?
mama needs to make a decision on what to do with the money, starting to take into account all the things she needs to make the decision
what is a conflict of person vs. herself in the play?
mama trying to figure out what to do with the money, ruth trying to decide whether to get an abortion or not
who is big walter?
mamas husband who dies which gives the family 10,000, comes from working class, earned money through hard work, lots of pride
who is asagai and why is he important to the play?
medical student, also a boyfriend of bennies, sophisticated, thoughtful, not very serious, traditional (african), important because doesnt follow social protocol, brings out better side of bennie,
what is the relationship between walter and ruth?
not good when walter is drunk and mad, cares more about money than relationship with his wife, walter takes his anger out on the people he loves, relationship gets better after mama gives him the money
what are the four conflicts?
person vs. person, person vs. society, person vs. themself, person vs. nature
who is mr lidner?
representative of clynbourne park, rich white man, racist, pushy,
what is mamas plant a symbol for?
represents the people, cut off, not nourishment, needs room to expand and grow but doesnt get to.
what is the exposition of the play?
south side chicago, poor neighborhood, early 1950's, communal bathroom, travis sleeps on couch, 2 bedroom apartment, mama comes into 10,000 when husband dies
what are the events around how the money dissappears?
supposed to happen: 3500 to house, 3000 to bennies school, 3500 to walter what actually happened: walter gives willy all 10,000 and it never comes back
what is the initial action?
the check comes into the mail
what is the climax?
the money is gone, willy harris took it
what is the ultimate resolution of the play?
they move into the house
what is bennies relationship with george murchison and asagai?
theyre her boyfriends
what is the importance of mr lidner?
tries to buy family out of house, sugar coats argument to get them to see his perspective
what is the stage direction?
upstage left, upstage center, upstage right left, center, right downstage left, downstage center, downstage right
what was beneathas dream to do with the money?
use it for med school, wants some say in who has it
what is a conflict of person vs. society in the play?
walter struggles to show white people he isnt irrelevant
what is the falling action?
walter thinks about selling the house even though never technically bought it, calls mr lidner to cheat him out of his money, mama has travis stay and watch, trying to deal with loss of his dream
what is a conflict of person vs. person in the play?
walter wants all the money but mama has to take in to account all the other things
what is walters relationship between mama and bennie?
walter wants mamas money and all of bennies college money, thinks bennie shouldnt have such big dreams, mama trusts walter with the money but he doesnt agree with what she wants to do with it, goes against mamas back
who are mama and papa youngers kids?
walter-ruth (travis,10) and bennie-george murchison and asagai
what was walters dream to do with the money?
wants to invest in a liquor store
describe walters scheme to get the liquor store
went behind mamas back and took all of the money, gave money to willy harris to take to springfield to get the liquor license, willy stole money causing all the plans to be ruined
what was ruths dream to do with the money?
whats mama to go on a trip and use it for herself
what is ruths relationship with walter?
wife
what is the background of the play?
written in 1957, on broadway 1959, ran for two years, 4 tony awards, first black woman director and producer
