A Raisin in the Sun - Act I, Scene One

Setting

• Location: Chicago's Southside
• Time Period: Sometime between World War II and the present
• Primary Location: The YOUNGER family's living room, an area that also serves as a dining room and is connected to a small kitchen
• The apartment is cramped, tired, and worn, indicating it has accommodated too many people for too long

Characters

• RUTH YOUNGER: Around 30 years old, Walter's wife, Travis's mother. Once pretty, now worn by life's disappointments
• TRAVIS YOUNGER: RUTH and WALTER's son, a ten-year-old boy
• WALTER LEE YOUNGER: RUTH's husband, in his mid-thirties, lean and intense with erratic habits
• BENEATHA YOUNGER: Walter's sister, about 20 years old, intellectual, with a strong desire for knowledge
• MAMA (LENA YOUNGER): Walter and Beneatha's mother, in her early sixties, strong and full of grace

Plot Summary

Morning Routine

• The scene opens with the family's morning routine. Ruth wakes up her son Travis and husband Walter. They share a cramped, shared bathroom with other families.
• Ruth is burdened with the responsibilities of the household and is visibly tired and disappointed.
• Walter is frustrated about their financial situation and the limitations it imposes on his dreams.

Financial Concerns

• Ruth and Walter discuss the arrival of an insurance check worth $10,000 from the death of Walter's father.
• Walter has ambitions of investing in a liquor store with friends Willy Harris and Bobo, believing it will improve their financial situation.
• Ruth is skeptical and tired of Walter's constant dreaming about unattainable wealth.

Family Tensions

• Beneatha plans to go to medical school, which causes tension with Walter, who feels the money should support his liquor store investment.
• Walter feels unsupported by Ruth and his family regarding his dreams of a better future.

Personal Struggles

• Beneatha is struggling with her identity and is not satisfied with conventional roles or expectations.
• The family dynamic is tense, with unresolved conflicts and unspoken dreams.

Mama's Concerns

• Mama is concerned about the family's future and the impact of the money on their lives.
• She dreams of buying a house with a yard for Travis and reflects on past dreams with her late husband.

Ruth's Secret

• Ruth is possibly pregnant, which adds to her stress and the family's financial problems.
• She visits a doctor, hinting at the possibility of an abortion, which she has not yet disclosed to Walter.

Arrival of the Insurance Check

• The check for $10,000 arrives, symbolizing both hope and conflict for the family.

Themes

• Dreams and Aspirations: The characters' conflicting dreams and their struggles to achieve them.
• Family Tensions: The strain on family relationships due to financial issues and personal ambitions.
• Identity and Culture: Beneatha's exploration of African heritage and identity.
• Gender Roles: Expectations of men and women within the family and society.
• Racial and Economic Struggles: The impact of racial discrimination and economic hardship on the family's life.

This scene sets the stage for the family's internal and external conflicts, highlighting the importance of dreams, the impact of financial struggles, and the search for identity and fulfillment.