ARITS Scene 1 Notes

Setting

The story takes place Sometime between World War II and the present in Chicago’s Southside. The living room is mostly a comfortable and well-ordered room. The furniture is typical and average, and it has to accommodate the large amount of people who have lived there over the years. You can tell the furniture was selected with care and was arranged very lovingly into the apartment. Now the living room was very worn and used out. There is a small kitchen area, where the family prepares meals that are eaten in the living room which can often also serve as a dining room.

Characters

Ruth Mother of Travis & Beneatha Wife of Walter Tired 30 years old Attractive woman Strict Can get angry when people don't do exactly what she wants the first time Cautious of money Extremely thin Walter Husband of Ruth Father of Travis & Beneatha Lean young man in his middle thirties Has quick nervous movements and erratic speech habits Impatient Generous Travis Son of Ruth & Walter Brother of Beneatha Handsome ten year old little boy Wants to work Ruth calls him slubborn   Beneatha Daughter of Ruth & Walter Sister of Travis Tells it like it is Independent Wants to be something important Mama Name is Lena In her early sixties Dark-brown face with completely white hair She is a beautiful woman Her speech is very careless as she slurs many words Has a check for 10,000 dollars

Reactions

You can tell very early on that there is a lot of stress with money in the family  WALTER (Wandering in, still more oriented to sleep than to a new day) Well, what was you doing all that yelling for if I can’t even get in there yet? (Stopping and thinking) Check coming today? RUTH They said Saturday and this is just Friday and I hopes to God you ain’t going to get up here first thing this morning and start talking to me ’bout no money—’cause I ’bout don’t want to hear it.  RUTH Sit down and have your breakfast, Travis. TRAVIS Mama, this is Friday. (Gleefully) Check coming tomorrow, huh? RUTH You get your mind off money and eat your breakfast. TRAVIS (Eating) This is the morning we supposed to bring the fifty cents to school. RUTH Well, I ain’t got no fifty cents this morning. TRAVIS Teacher say we have to. RUTH I don’t care what teacher say. I ain’t got it. Eat your breakfast, Travis. There appears to be stress and anger in Ruth and Walter's relationship. This could possibly be foreshadowing something happening with them later on.   RUTH No—I’m just sleepy as the devil. What kind of eggs you want? WALTER Not scrambled, (RUTH starts to scramble eggs)   (He rises and finds a cigarette in her handbag on the table and crosses to the little window and looks out, smoking and deeply enjoying this first one)RUTH (Almost matter of factly, a complaint too automatic to deserve emphasis) Why you always got to smoke before you eat in the morning?   TRAVIS (Quickly, to the ally) I have to—she won’t gimme the fifty cents ... WALTER (To his wife only) Why not? RUTH (Simply, and with flavor) ’Cause we don’t have it. WALTER (To RUTH only) What you tell the boy things like that for? (Reaching down into his pants with a rather important gesture) Here, son— (He hands the boy the coin, but his eyes are directed to his wife’s, TRAVIS takes the money happily) TRAVIS Thanks, Daddy. (He starts out. RUTH watches both of them with murder in her eyes. WALTER stands and stares back at her with defiance, and suddenly reaches into his pocket again on an afterthought)