Lorraine Hansberry

Lorraine Hansberry
Author: Lorraine Hansberry

Friday, February 28, 2014

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.

Mama (Lena) Younger

Mama (Lena) Younger
Mama (Lena) Younger

Ruth Younger

Ruth Younger
Ruth Younger

Beneatha Younger

Beneatha Younger
Beneatha Younger

Walter Younger

Walter Younger
Walter Younger

What will happen to Beneatha?

Are the Youngers moving into their new house?