Raisin in the Sun STUDY GUIDE questions

A Raisin in the Sun Study Guide

1. Why was Travis up late last night?

2. Why was Ruth upset when Walter gave Travis the money?

3. Ruth and Walter are married, but seem to have a difficult relationship. Fill out this chart on their relationship

Ruth’s thoughts about Walter	Walter’s thoughts about Ruth
How Ruth treats Walter	How Walter treats Ruth
One quote from Ruth showing how she feels about Walter	One quote from Walter showing how he feels about Ruth

4. Who is Beneatha?

5. Why was Mama getting a check for $10,000?

6. What does Walter want to do with the money?

7. Who are Willy and Bobo?

8. Walter said, “Damn my eggs…damn all the eggs that ever was!”  What does he mean?

9. What does Beneatha do?

10. List at least two problems Walter has with Beneatha.

11. Describe what you think Lena’s relationship is like with the following:

Walter:

Ruth:

Beneatha:

Travis:

12. What does Lena do for a living?

13. How old is she?

14. How long has she worked?

15. What does Mrs. Holiday think about Lena quitting? Why do you think this is?

16. Where is Asagai from?

17. Beneatha seems to like Asagai, but also is annoyed by him. Explain how each of these is true.

18. How is Lena treated by the clerk? What does he call her?

19. How does she react?

20. How does Mrs. Johnson think she should react?  What line proves this?

21. While on the bus, Lena is filled with longing for something.  What is it?

22.  Using information you just learned from Herman, as well as things you might already know, list some pros and cons of both a 9-5 job and owning your own business.

	Pros	Cons
9-5 job
Owning your own business

23. Why did Beneatha say she wouldn’t marry George?

24. What was Beneatha’s attitude toward God?

25. Why won’t Lena give Walter the money?

26. At the end of this section, what happens to Ruth?

27. Each person write down think of the biggest argument they’ve ever had with their parents. Write each one down.

28. What did Ruth find out at the doctor’s office?

29. Asagai tells Beneatha that, “between a man and a woman there need be only one kind of feeling.”  Explain what he means and why Beneatha says that this, by itself, won’t do?

30. What do you think he means by giving Beneatha a nickname that means, “bread-food-is not enough”? 

31. Now your turn. Each student give themselves a nickname in the same style as Beneatha’s. One that helps give a deeper understanding of who you are as a person.

Student name	New Nickname

32. Why doesn’t Ruth seem happy about her pregnancy?

33. Where did Ruth actually go instead of the doctor’s office?

34. Why do you think she has chosen to do this?

35. Mama tells Walter that something is eating him up, something that has to do with

more than just money.  What do you think this is?

36. Why did Mama call Walter a disgrace to his father’s memory?

37. Do you think that Walter is right? They should use the money to invest in a liquor store? Explain your reasoning.

38. Where does Walter go at the end of this section?

39. What should he have done?

40. Who is George?

41. Describe his and Beneatha’s relationship.

42. What did Lena do with the money?

43. What was Walter’s reaction to Lena’s purchase?  Why did he act this way?

44. What was Ruth’s reaction to Lena’s purchase?  Why did she act this way?

45. What has Ruth found out from the phone call?

46. What has Lena done with her 10,000 dollars? 

47. What do you think that Walter will do with the money?

48. Does Ruth know why Walter is in such a good mood?

49. What does Beneatha want out of life?

50. What does George want out of life?

51. Will these two wind up together?  Why or why not?

52. Why didn’t Lena see the house before she bought it?

53. What news does Lindner bring to the Younger family?

54. What reason does Lindner give for this?

55. Which family member figures out what Lindner is up to first?

56. What is Walter’s reaction to Lindner’s news?  Is it reasonable?

57. The news from Lindner is bad.  List three things that could happen next that could make things worse.  List three things that could happen next that could make things better.

1.

2.

3.

1.

2.

3.

58. Lena says about her plant, “It expresses me.”  How does Lena’s plant express her?

59. Think back to earlier in the book.  How does Beneatha express herself?

60. What news does Bobo bring?

61. How does Walter react?

62. How does Ruth react?

63. How does Lena react?

64. Where is Travis during all this?

65. Travis isn’t present when Lindner comes or when Bobo comes.  Why do you think Lorraine Hansberry chose to have him gone when people bring bad news?

66. Why does Beneatha blame her mother?

67. Why does Beneatha’s belief in the importance of doctors and medicine change after Walter loses the family’s money.

68. Describe Beneatha’s negative and circular view of the world.

69. Describe Asagai’s positive and linear view of the world.

70. What fault does Lena find with herself?

71. What solution does Walter have?

72. What does it mean, to Walter, to be a man?

73. What does Walter do/say that makes Lena change her mind about moving?

74. Why didn’t Walter take the money Lindner offered?

75. Did the Youngers stay or move?

76. Lena says to Ruth, “He came into his manhood today, didn’t he?  Kind of like the rainbow after the rain.”  And Ruth agrees.  Do you agree?  Why or why not?