In Act 1, scene 1 of "A Raisin in the Sun," you are brought into the setting of the Younger's apartment, a small, worn-down two bedroom apartment on the South Side of Chicago. It is in this aparment where you are introduced to Mama, Mama's daughter Beneatha, Mama's son Walter Lee, Walter's wife Ruth and Ruth and Walter Lee's son Travis. The morning begins with typical bickering of a family of five living in such tight quarters. I was able to relate to the family bickering, because although I do not live in such a small place, I have a very large family, and family bickering is not uncommon. Walter Lee and Ruth bicker about his desire to open a liquor store, as he continues to ramble, I was able to since Ruth's annoyance in her husband. Ruth responds with the continous answer of, "Eat your eggs," while Walter continues on his liquor store tangent. .
Following Ruth and Walter Lee's quarraling, Beneatha engages in an argument with her brother, following her discovery that the bathroom is already occupied. Walter feels that his sister should be doing something more feminie than studying medicine. Although his motives seem sincere, I am able to since that he has an alterior motive. The reader then learns that the family is going to be presented with an insurance check following the death of Mr. Younger. Because of this, I feel that Walter's interest in his sisters choice of study is selfish considering her tuition money will come from their check. Ruth and Mama begin to talk about how they feel the money should be spent. It is at this point that I was able to sense that Ruth does not feel that she can provide for her husband and maybe money would help him. Scene 1 ends with Ruth and Mama talking about Walter and Beaneatha, as they continue to talk Ruth suddenly faints. In this scene of the play, I feel that the author does an excellent job in introducing the play's characters to the reader.
