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A Raisin In The Sun-Study Guide
Act I, Scene II
26. When does Scene II begin? What are Mama and Beneatha doing as this scene begins? What is Walter
doing?
27. Who does Beneatha invite to the apartment? How does she tell Mama to act around this person?
28. What is revealed about Ruth and where she has been? What is she thinking about doing, and why
might she be considering such a thing?
29. What does Beneatha mean by saying that her family is suffering from “acute ghetto-it is”?
30. Asagai arrives, bringing gifts for Beneatha. What are the gifts?
31. What does Asagai represent to Beneatha?
32. What does Asagai say about Beneatha’s hair? Why?
33. Soon after Asagai leaves, the mail carrier delivers the insurance check. How much is the check worth?
Why does Mama’s expression become sober and then unhappy when she holds the check?
34. Walter rushes in demanding to know whether the check has arrived. What impact does the check
have on him?
35. Mama says to Walter,” Something eating you up like a crazy man. Something more than me not giving
you this money. The past few years I been watching it happen to you. You get all nervous acting and kind
of wild in the eyes-“. What’s eating Walter?
36. How do Walter’s and Mama’s views of the meaning of life conflict?
37. How does Mama try to influence Walter at the end of the scene? What does she reveal to him?