Plot
What is the family waiting for at the beginning of the play?
The insurance check
What does Walter want to do with the money?
Invest in a liquor store
What does Travis ask Ruth for in the morning?
50 cents
What does Ruth discover at the end of Scene 1?
She is pregnant
The plant in Act 1 symbolizes
The Younger family
Who is the matron (or head) of the Younger household?
Mama
What does Mama want to do with the money?
Buy a house and have a garden
How does Ruth react when Walter talks about his business plans?
She ignores him and tells him to eat his eggs
What problem does Ruth face when she finds out she's pregnant?
How does the plant symbolize their family?
They try to grow, but they are stuck
What is Beneatha wanting to become?
A doctor
What does Beneatha want with the money?
She wants to use some of it for medical school
How does Beneatha feel about God?
She believes people make their own destiny and science reigns
Why is Beneatha criticized by her family?
Her lack of religion, changing her hobbies, refusing to marry George
How is Walter's tone throughout Act 1?
Frustrated, intense, cruel
How does Ruth respond when Travis asks for money?
She says they don't have it and to stop asking
What does Ruth want with the money?
Stability for her family (a house, a cushion...)
Why does Beneatha say she will not marry George Murchinson?
He is shallow
Who is the character that is a cultural outlet for Beneatha?
Joseph Asagai
What conflict is established by the end of Act 1? (think about the check)
The family cannot decide how to spend the money
How does Mama react when Beneatha denies the existence of God?
She slaps her and makes her repeat words
What does the check truly mean for each character all together?
Dreams, to get out of their current situation
What happened to the family that caused them to have an insurance check?
Big Walter passed away
Who says "Seem like God didn't see fit to give the black man nothing but dreams"
Mama
What is a big theme of this Act?
A. The importance of family loyalty
B. The conflict between generations
C. The pursuit of dreams and economic opportunity
D. The role of women in society
The pursuit of dreams and economic opportunity