Ruth Younger

Aneesa Baptiste

Prof. Raquel Corona

English 102

Choose a character from the play, A Raisin in the Sun, and create a character map of sorts. Describe this character and his/her significance in the play. What do they dream of having? Why did you choose to discuss this character? What about their personality and presence in the play spoke to you as a reader?

Ruth

In A Raisin in the Sun, of all the characters that are mentioned in the first two scenes, the one that interest me the most was Ruth Younger. Her role as wife, mother, daughter, sister is an important role for one person. In the first scene, there is turmoil between Ruth and her husband Walter. Walter is to absorb with his dreams and ideas about opening a liquor store business with the insurance check that he fails to see at first the disapproval from his wife. The lack of finance and the struggle to hold the family together during this time was taking a toll on her. She do seem to love her husband but it also seems she thinks that Walter's dreams are hollow and does not have enough faith to believe in him anymore. Ruth's dreams seems to be simple, to build a happy family and live out her life being moderately comfortable. When she finds out that she is pregnant she becomes worried that this will cause a financial burden on them which prompted her to make a down payment to have an abortion. Ruth is not a selfish individual. She puts her family first and takes things in stride. The treatment from her husband isn't making her any more happy but she seems to be an emotionally strong person that will go through thick or thin for her family.