I Finished "A Raisin in the Sun"!

I recently finished reading “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry. It was a very, very good book. Some of the things in this book are humbling. Some moments are joyous. Since I finished, I finally am able to give you my full essay on this book, so spoiler alert.

The start of the book is in the living room and kitchen as Ruth Younger is trying to make breakfast. She wakes up early, around 8 AM. Walter Lee Younger, Ruth’s husband, wakes up a bit later. The first thing he asks about is a check. On page 48, Ruth said “They said [the check is coming] Saturday and this is just Friday…” Today is Friday and a check is coming the next day, Saturday. The whole story is based on this check. For a few pages Ruth and Walter argue about him getting up late. On page 52, we get introduced to a new character, Travis. He is the 9 year old son of both Ruth and Walter. He came out of the bathroom to eat. As he eats, he has a conversation with his mom about 50¢. He needed it for school and Ruth wouldn’t give it to him because they didn’t necessarily have it. Afterwards, Walter gives him 50¢ and an extra 50¢. Reasonably, Ruth is pretty mad about this.

Next, on page 57, we are introduced to Beneatha Younger, she is the bio-sister of Walter, Travis’s aunt, and the sister-in-law of Ruth. She is woken by the people in the apartment directly above them. They are vacuuming. On page 60, we find out Beneatha ambitions to be a doctor, and on page 62, we found out she wants to get the money from the check of $10,000 that’s coming Saturday. They also mention that the money is coming because Walter and Beneatha’s dad died. On page 64, we are introduced to Mama. She is in her early sixties, and is the mother of Walter and Beneatha, being the mother-in-law of Ruth, and grandmother of Travis. Walter leaves for work, Travis leaves for school, and the other three start discussing what to do with the check. They start talking about buying a house. Ruth is very enthusiastic about the idea. By the end of the act, Ruth falls out unconscious.

At the beginning of act one scene two, Beneatha starts dating two guys, George Murchison a rich, rude, and arrogant white guy, and Joseph Asagai, a thinker from Nigeria. We both know how this is going to turn out. On Saturday, the check comes for Mama, and Walter immediately wants to use it to invest it in a liquor store. When Mama ultimately says no, Walter gets mad and goes and gets drunk. How ironic. Asagai and Beneatha talk about Nigeria, as Mama tries to look cool in front of Asagai.

At the beginning of act two, Beneatha puts on a Nigerian dress Asagai gave to her. She puts on some music and dances and sings to it. Walter walks in, very drunk mind you, and starts obnoxiously singing and dancing. Beneatha all of a sudden acts like she drank three full bottles of liquor and does the same. Afterwards, George Murchison lets himself in without knocking. Beneatha changes into reasonable clothes and goes out to the movies with him.

In act two scene two, Beneatha rants about how God gets credit for everything, and she proceeds to get popped in the mouth by Mama. At the end of act two scene two, Mama comes back announcing to everyone that she arranged for a down payment on the house. She then allows Walter to have the remaining money, after the cost of Beneatha’s medical school.

In act two scene three, the family are getting ready to move. They are moving to a white neighborhood, and a man appears at the apartment door. His name is Karl Lindner and he is a representative for the Clybourne Park Special Committee. He is there to offer money on behalf of the town to keep them from moving to Clybourne Park. The money is the price of the house, and then some. They initially refuse. At the end of the scene, we learn that Walter took the money from the house down payment, Beneatha’s medical school, and his cut to invest, and his friend ran off with the $10,000. Mama proceeds to beat him senseless.

At the last act, Walter decides to try and take up the deal that Mr. Lindner offered. Walter calls him over. They talk for a bit of time, then Mama pressures Walter by making him explain to his 9 year old son what he’s doing. Walter ultimately turns down the money, and they move in the house. That is the summary of “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry.