Historical Background

The play takes place somewhere between World War ll and 1959 in the south side of Chicago, Illinois.  The play speaks to issues such as value systems of the black family, concepts of African American beauty and identity, class and generational conflicts, relationships of husbands and wives, and black men and women. During this time residential segregation was common, residential segregation is the physical separation of two or more groups in different neighborhoods. This is why Mr. Lindner doesn't want the Youngers moving into his neighbor because it is an all white community.

Lorraine Hansberry

Lorraine Hansberry is the author of the play A Raisin in the Sun. Her full name is Lorraine Vivian Hansberry and she was born on May 19, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois. Lorraine died at a every young at the age of 34 from pancreatic cancer. She also wrote many other books such as The Sign in Sidney Brustien's Window, The Drinking Gourd, The Movement, and Les Blancs. She was the first black woman to have a play be performed on Brodway, Hansberry has also been identified as a lesbian, and sexual freedom is an important topic in several of her works.

Mama (Lena) Younger

Mama is Walter and Beneatha's mother in A Raisin in the Sun. Throughout out the play, Mama has been trying to make the best decisions for her family. She dedicated her life to her children even when they disagree with her. In the middle of the play, Mama goes out and buys a house with the insurance money she gets from the death of Big Walter, her husband. She cares a lot about her plant, since she treats it like her own child. Mama's plant symbolized her future garden at the knew house and it shows that they will have hope for the future. In the play Mama is the meditator of the whole family, she helped Beneatha and Walter get through their fight and she also helped Ruth and Walter figure out their problems and bring them closer together. Mama puts all her faith in Walter towards the end of the story by giving Walter 6,500 dollars but his responsibility failed. But when Walter stands up to Mr. Lindner her faith is restored in Walter.

Ruth Younger

Ruth Younger in A Raisin in the Sun is Walter's wife. In the beginning of the play, Ruth and Walter are having marriage problems. Ruth ends up getting pregnant by the middle of the play, and is trying to decide wether she will keep it or not. Mama tells Walter about the baby because Ruth won't talk to Walter since it always end in an argument. Ruth wouldn't perfer Walter to buy the liquor store because she thinks its a waste of money and she would rather save it for a house.

Beneatha Younger

Beneatha Younger is Walter's sister in A Raisin in the Sun. Beneatha is outgoing and a determined person. She wants to become a doctor because she believes doctors can fix the sick.  When Beneatha was younger she witnessed her friend Rufus go sledding and crack his face open. She thought that that was the end of Rufus but Rufus came back with only a little line down his face and Beneatha knew ever since then that she wanted to become a doctor. Towards the middle of the play, when Walter loses all of Beneatha's tuition money for medical school, she tells Mama that her and Walter aren't brother and sister anymore. When Walter comes back from "work", because he has been skipping for the last three days and going to the bar, Beneatha tells him that she is 'no brother of hers'. In the end of the play, Beneatha comes to the conclusion that she doesn't want to be a doctor anymore. She realized that doctors can't fix everything and she feels can't help people.

Walter Younger

Walter Younger is a selfish black man in A Raisin in the Sun. He only cares about money in the beginning of the play, and opening a liquor store with his friends Willy Harris and Bobo. Towards the middle of the play, Walter's mom, Mama gets Walter's dads, Big Walter insurance money and gives it out to her kids, Walter and Beneatha. Mama also keeps some of the money for herself and decides to buy a house for the family. After Walter is given the money, he loses it because he only cared about himself and didn't care about the whole family. When Walter loses all of the money he also loses his families trust and respect. He is tempted to accepted an offer from Mr. Lindner who is trying to keep Walter and his family from moving into their house in an all white neighborhood. At the end of the play, Walter decides to give up his dream of opening a liquor store and declines the offer to take Mr. Lindner's money for the house.