A Raisin in the Sun Reading Questions
Act I Scene 1
1. In the initial stage directions, what does the furniture reveal about the family and their situations?
2. The Time is sometime between World War II and the present. The present for the author was the
late 1950’s. Could the setting be between World War II and today’s present?
3. “…a quality of indictment” (an expression of strong disapproval) Of what does Walter disapprove?
4. Describe the relationship between Walter and Ruth as it is characterized in the first scene?
Give three examples to support your opinion.
5. What is Walter’s dream?
6. Why is Walter so angry and who does he blame?
7. Who does the “money” belong to?
8. What is the “money” from?
9. What is ironic about Ruth asking Beneatha to be sweeter to Walter?
10. Pick three adjectives to describe Mama. Support your adjectives with examples from the play.
11. How much money is coming in the check?
12. What is Mama’s dream?
13. Mama says her husband “could never catch up with his dreams.” What does she mean by this?
14. Who is George Murchison? Why do Mama and Ruth think he is a good catch? Why doesn’t Beneatha
want him?
15. Over what do Beneatha and Mama fight?
16. What does the little plant symbolize?
Act I Scene 2
1. When Asagai accuses Beneatha of being an assimilationist, what does he mean?
2. Asagai calls Beneatha Alaiyo, “one for whom bread – food – is not enough.” What is meant by this?
3. What does Walter want to do with the insurance money? What is Mama’s reaction? Why?
4. How important is time period to the different experiences of Mama versus Walter? Explain.
5. What is Ruth considering doing? Why?
Act 2 Scene1
1. Why is Walter embracing Beneatha’s African music and acting as an African warrior? Because he is
drunk is not the answer.
2. Do Walter and George seem to have anything in common? What separates them?
3. George calls Walter “Prometheus”; what is it an allusion to and why?
4. What has Mama done with the insurance money? Why?
5. Foreshadow the problems of Mama’s decision.
Act 2, scene 2
1. How does Mama redeem herself with Walter in this scene?
2. How do you think Walter will handle it?
Act 2, scene 3
1. What is Mr. Lindner at the Younger house to do? What is the response of the family?
2. What is the hypocrisy of how Lindner phrased his request?
3. Could what Mr. Lindner did happen today? Why or why not?
4. What did Walter do with the money? Why is it a problem?
Act Three
1. What childhood experience inspired Beneatha to be a doctor?
2. Why is Beneatha bitter?
3. Asagai sees life as a __________________ and Beneatha sees it as a ___________________
Which do you think is true and why?
4. Asagai challenges Beneatha. What does he accuse her of thinking?
5. Asagai says, “Never be afraid to sit awhile and think.” What is the wisdom in that statement?
6. What is Walter’s plan on getting some of the money back?
7. Walter proclaims that the people who look at the right and the wrong are the ones that get taken
advantage of. What does he mean by that?
8. In his defeat, what does Walter want to do about the house?
9. What are the responses of the three women?
Mama-
Beneatha-
Ruth -
10. Mama states an essential lesson about compassion. What is it?
11. Does Walter remain defeated? How does the reader know?
12. What is the resolution for the Younger family?