Characters
The hardworking matriarch of the Younger family
Who is Lena (Mama) Younger
The city where the play takes place
What is Chicago?
The amount of the life insurance check
What is $10,000?
The idea of wanting a better life
What is the American Dream?
“Eat your eggs.”
Who is Ruth?
He dreams of owning a business and feels trapped by his job
Who is Walter Lee Younger
The small apartment where the Younger family lives
What is a South Side apartment?
Walter wants to invest the money in this type of business
What is a liquor store?
Conflict between Walter and Mama mostly centers on this
What is money / dreams?
“I’m thirty-five years old; I been married eleven years…”
Who is Walter Lee?
She wants to become a doctor and values education
Who is Beneatha Younger
The time period of the play
What are the 1940s - 1950s?
Mama believes money should be used for this purpose
What is improving the family’s life / buying a home?
Beneatha challenges traditional ideas about this
What is gender roles?
“There is always something left to love.”
Who is Mama?
The Younger family member who manages the household finances
Who is Ruth Younger
The room where most of Act 1’s action occurs
What is the living room?
Ruth and Walter argue because of stress caused by this
What is financial pressure?
Mama believes strongly in this value
What is family unity?
“Listen, I’m going to be a doctor.”
Who is Beneatha?
The person whose life insurance check the family is waiting for
Who is Big Walter Younger
A major problem caused by the apartment’s size
What is overcrowding / lack of space?
Beneatha hopes the money will help her achieve this goal
What is becoming a doctor?
Act 1 shows how dreams can cause this among family members
What is conflict?
“Money is life.”
Who is Walter Lee?