25.C: ARITS Act 1 Comprehension Questions (pp. 54-75)

Last updated about 1 year ago
20 questions
Use pages 54-75 from your copy of "A Raisin in the Sun" to answer the following questions. The questions get progressively more complicated as the sections continue.
Part 1: "Right There" Questions

Part 1: "Right There" Questions

These answers can answered by simply reading the play.
1
What day and time of day is it when Scene II begins? _______
1

Who is Joseph Asagai?

1

Asagai arrives, bringing gifts for Beneatha. What gifts does he bring to her?

1

How does Mama try to influence Walter at the end of the scene (pg. 74-75)? What does she reveal to him?

1

Why did Mama call Walter a disgrace to his father’s memory?

1

How does Mama react to finally getting the check?

Part 2: Inference Questions

Part 2: Inference Questions

These questions can be answered by reading the play and making inferences using what you know about the world.
1

Mama shows concern when Ruth reveals that she saw a female doctor (pg. 59). Why do you think Mama is so concerned about Ruth seeing a female doctor? What suspicions might Mama have about Ruth?

1

How is Beneatha different from other Younger family members?

1

Why is Beneatha worried about Mama meeting Mr. Asagai? What does this tell us about how Bennie views her mother?

1

Asagai's nickname for Bennie is "Alaiyo," which he reveals to mean "someone for whom food is not enough."

Why do you think he gave Bennie this nickname?

1

What are Asagai’s views on women? How does Beneatha react to these views?

1

On page 69, we see Mama's reaction to receiving the physical check at last. What is her mood? Why do you think she reacts this way to the check?

1

How does Walter show his insensitivity regarding the money and the situation at home?

(insensitivity: not caring about other people's feelings or circumstances)

1

What evidence shows that Walter is not entirely selfish in wanting to have the in­surance money?

Add a quote with page numbers. Be sure to use quotation marks.

Part 3: Analysis Questions

Part 3: Analysis Questions

These questions require you to think about what the author is trying to ~sneakily~ tell us with her words about life.
1

What overall impression/mood does Hansberry create in describing the apartment?

1

Why do you think Asagai is making fun of Bennie for "mutilating" her hair and being an "assimilationist"? What does this reveal about how Asagai sees Bennie?

1

Compare and contrast Mama and Walter's reaction to finding out about Ruth's pregnancy. How are they different?

1

How do Walter's and Mama's views of the meaning of life conflict?

1
At the end of Act 1, Scene 2 we see Mama have strong feelings about her son.

What is that feeling she has for Walter? _______
Provide a quote with page numbers to support your answer: _______
1

Often, pressure from other people or outside forces might make a person to do something that they may not have normally done. Discuss how this statement applies to Ruth in this Act.