Play Structure
This type of text tells actors what the characters are feeling, how to move, and how their voices sound.
What are stage directions?
Ruth is doing this to Travis when she says, "'Mama I' nothing! You’re going to get it, boy! Get on in that bedroom and get yourself ready!" (174).
What is scolding?
Early in the play, this is Walter's main motivation.
What is investing money? What is owning a liquor store?
Ruth says, “PRAISE GOD! (Looks at WALTER a moment, who says nothing. She crosses rapidly to her husband) Please, honey—let me be glad … you be glad too” (191). This is what she shows.
Ruth is showing that she is glad about the house purchase, but that she is also worried about how he is reacting.
The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.
What is motivation?
This type of text tells the actors what to say, for their characters.
What is dialogue?
When speaking to Walter after revealing the news about the house, Mama is "(Still [talking] to his back, fingering things on the table)" (198). The stage directions show this emotion.
What is pain? What is disappointment?
Walter says, “Mama, you didn’t go do something with that insurance money, something crazy?” (171) when Mama does this.
What is buying a house?
The stage directions for Travis say, "(The front door opens slowly, interrupting [WALTER], and TRAVIS peeks his head in, less than hopefully)" (172). This is what this shows.
Travis can tell that his parents are stressed, and he is worried about being punished for being out.
This means to show where you received your text evidence, specifically.
What is citation?
This text formatting shows that a character is the one speaking.
What uses ALL CAPITAL LETTERS?
Mama says, "Why don’t you all never let the child explain hisself?" (176) to Ruth, to show that she is acting this way.
What is being critical?
Mama "([Puts] her finger on his nose for emphasis)" and says, "She went out and she bought you a house!" to this character.
Who is Travis?
Mama says, "Walter Lee—it makes a difference in a man when he can walk on floors that belong to him…" (198). This is what she shows.
Mama shows Walter that she feels like she made the right decision. Mama shows Walter that she feels like her decision impacted him.
To break down a passage or idea and explain smaller parts of it, section by section.
What does it mean to analyze? What is analysis?
This text formatting shows that there are stage directions in a play.
What are italics?
Mama is ignoring this character when the text says that she is "(Still ignoring him and leaning on the table and changing to more comfortable shoes)," saying, "Where’s Travis?" (163).
Who is Walter?
Beneatha sees this as an obstacle, not only for her own happiness, but also for African Americans in general.
What is assimilation?
Mama is "(Holding out her arms to her grandson)," and saying, "Well—at least let me tell him something. I want him to be the first one to hear …” (180) to Ruth and Travis. In this scene, Ruth and Travis make this possible.
The presence of Ruth and Travis makes it possible for Mama to avoid speaking directly to Walter most of the time.
This type of person will keep pushing to achieve their dreams, even when they reach an obstacle.
What is an idealist?
This is the order that you need to cite your evidence in a play, from the most general to the most specific. You may list your answer.
(Act, Scene, Paragraph)
When Mr. Lindner says, "man, right or wrong, has the right to want to have the neighborhood he lives in a certain kind of way," he is showing that he believes in this.
What is segregation? What is racism?
In addition to being worried about Walter's reaction, this is Ruth's reaction to the purchase of the house.
What is being overjoyed?
"([Beneatha] promenades to the radio and, with an arrogant flourish, turns off the good loud blues that is playing)." Then she says, "Enough of this assimilationist junk!" (4).
Beneatha is showing that she does not want to assimilate to American culture, be it Black or White. She wants to embrace her Nigerian heritage.
This type of figurative language compares two things without using "like" or "as" (e.g. Life is a rollercoaster).
What is a metaphor?