These are the questions:
Choose a main character and explain the significance of the epigraph “Harlem” as it relates to the character.
Bennie struggles with her identity throughout the play. Why is this idea important to the development of her character? Does she “find herself”? Explain.
Why doesn’t Lorraine Hansberry choose to allow Walter’s desire to open the liquor store come to fruition?
What is the difference between what George Murchison wants for Beneatha, what Joseph Asagai wants for her, and what Beneatha wants for herself?
What is the purpose of having Travis in the play? Explain.
This play is filled with ALLUSIONS. One of the most significant is when George Murchison calls Walter Prometheus. Look up the myth. Compare and contrast it with Walter’s character’s development in Act I, Act II, and Act III.
In Act II, Walter and Beneatha dance and sing and express pride in their heritage. How does pride inspire both characters again near the end of the play?
Early in Act III Mama mourns, “Me and Big Walter just didn’t never learn right.” What does she mean? Does the end of the play prove her right or wrong?
What is SYMBOLIC about Mama’s plant? Trace its development in Act I, Act II, and Act III.
Explain how Walter struggles with both internal and external conflicts throughout the play. Which type of conflict does he seem to struggle with more? Support your response with reasoning and evidence.
How are the ideas and themes of A Raisin in the Sun still relevant in society today – over 50 years later? Write out a theme statement for what you believe to be the most prominent theme. Defend and support your position with evidence and reasoning.
How does this play represent the American Dream? Start by doing a Google search in order to define the term first and then relate it to the text.
Relate the play to our last Performance Assessment Task prompt: What motivates people to struggle for change?
How is money – the pursuit of it, how it is attained, its significance in life – treated in this play? Trace its development through Act I, Act II, and Act III.
What VALUE or GOOD seems to be the most important in this play? Defend your belief.
