Raisin in the sun
Period 6 Ysandra Ortiz, Brenda Torres, Sydney Rak, Sean Roan
THESIS STATEMENT
THEME ANALYSIS
Honestly is the best policy
CONFLICT
Man Vs Man
CHARACTERS
Lena "Mama"
Mama is Walter Lee and Beneatha's mother. Also, Ruth's mother is law. She is a strong woman who is very religious. With her husbands insurance money she wants to make a down payment for a house for the family. To Mama her dream is to be able to be in a home, she believes that now with the insurance money that dream can be possible now. Although not everybody might agree, she believes that this is the best thing to do. In the play she gathers everybody to tell them good news, Mama says to Travis "(Putting her finger on his nose emphasis) She went out and bought you a house!" (91). Everyone is excited with the good news, however her son, Walter, isn't so happy. Mama makes this decision knowing that she did good for the family.
Ruth
Married to Walter Lee. Lives in a small apartment with her family. A domestic work for a living. She is a tired woman who wants a good life for her family. At one point in the play, Ruth discovers that she is pregnant. She is faced with this issue to whether have the child without enough money, or to raise it in property or abort it. Her dream if just to make her family happy and give them what she can. In the play Ruth says "Well - well! All I can say is - if this is my time in life - MY TIME- to say good-bye - to these goddamned cracking walls! - and these marching roaches! - and this cramped little closet which ain't now or never was no kitchen! . . . then I say it loud and good, HALLELUJAH! AND GOOD-BYE MISERY.. . I DON'T NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR UGLY FACE AGAIN!"(93). After knowing that Mama went out to buy a house Ruth is extremely happy with the thought of moving into their own house. With this good news she believes that life is going to be great living in a house not an apartment.
Walter
Lena's son, married to Ruth and Beanetha's brother. Walter and Ruth have a son named Travis. He is a man who is struggling hard to support his family. When an opportunity to invest into a business comes up he is caught up in the moment and his dreams to have more money that he does not realize that in reality it is not possible. After losing the money he was going to "invest" into a business, Walter has decided to take the money that Mr. Linger was offering to the Younger's family. At this point Walter says "And we have decided to move into our house because my father- my father- he earned it for us brick by brick" (148). Although he wasn't happy with his mom's decision about buying a house, he thought it through knowing that at the end Mama did everything for the family. Walter them realizes that maybe the his dream can be attainable starting with the new house.
Symbolism
mamas plant
Mama has a plant by the window that she is constantly taking care of it. The plant is a symbol of the relationship that the family has. In the play she says "They spirited all right my children. Got to admit they got spirit- Bennie and Walter . Like this little old plant that ain't never had enough sunshine or nothing- just look at it" (52). Mama believes that the plant will grow and has hope for the plant and her children. In the movie they show mama in a long shot, and looking down at the plant. The plant looks very sad and is almost dying but mama is still hopeful for it and knows that it will get better soon just like her families relationship. Therefore, through mama's plant the american dream can be attainable with hope and patience.