Plot
Act 1
Scene One: Friday morning
Exposition: The setting is introduced as a drab apartment where “wariness has in fact, won”. Introduces conflict related to the economic situation family is in.
Rising Action: Characterized by the minor conflict regarding school money for Travis and the conflicting views between Ruth and Walter in raising their child. This also leads to conflict and inability to connect between Ruth and Walter in the morning (argument on “scrambled eggs” shows underlying tension) and Ruth’s reluctance to support Walter in his business endeavors “That’s it! There you are. Man say to his woman: I got a dream. Woman say: eat your eggs”. Shows dreams of every character (Beneatha - medical school, Lena - garden, Ruth - provide for Travis, Walter - liquor store) and how money would help in achieving those goals. In addition, the conflict over Beneatha’s love life is introduced; the family wants her to marry George because He’s rich!”, but Beneatha states that “No, I would not marry him if all I felt for him is what I felt now”. Act leaves off on a note of concern as Ruth faints.
Scene Two: The following morning
Exposition: Beneatha Joseph Asagai is introduced, along with Beneatha’s affection for him and her African heritage.
Rising Action: Conflict about revealing Ruth’s two-month pregnancy is developed. Lena questions where another child is going to live in an already crowded apartment “Where is another baby supposed to sleep? On the roof?” which further shows the financial pressure on how to support another baby in an already crowded house;. Lena has “never been wrong ‘bout a woman neither” and she suspects that Ruth has not gone to a regular doctor, but one that specializes in abortion. Conflict continues to build regarding Walter’s liquor store “WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE LISTEN TO ME TODAY?”, but mama continues to refuse his request for money to start the liquor store, further intensifying conflict regarding how Lena’s insurance money will be spent.. Asagai gives Beneatha the Nigerian robe, and says about her hair “ you wear it well, very well mutilated hair and all”; revealing an internal conflict within Beneatha not only between George and Asagai, but also between her two cultures: American and African.
Act 2
Scene One: Later, the same day
Exposition: Scene opens with Beneatha embracing her African heritage as she dances traditional folk dances.
Rising Action: George and Beneatha go on a date, but George criticizes Beneatha for her Nigerian dress “We’re going to a play, we’re not in the play” while Beneatha confidently defends herself by saying that it’s “natural”. Walter annoys George as Walter tries to be formal with business issues because of the financial problems regarding the liquor store. Ruth and Walter try to work out their conflict since they don’t seem to connect as much anymore. They resolve their conflict by talking through it. Lena resolves the conflict of what to do with the insurance money by buying a house in Clybourne Park, which helps achieve some of the other characters’ dreams because Lena wanted to start a garden and Ruth wanted to get out of the crowded apartment. Ruth’s joy of her dream being fulfilled is when she says, “HALLELUJAH! AND GOODY-BYE MISERY.” Walter seems to be sullen about this and further deepened into the conflict that no one believes or listens to him. This is seen when he says, “So you butchered up a dream of mine.”
Scene Two: Friday Night, a few weeks later
Exposition: George and Beneatha continue to fight because they aren’t really connecting with each other since George doesn’t want to be involved in emotions. He says, “I want you to cut it out--the moody stuff.” Beneatha insists that she “loves to talk”. When Beneatha comes back home, she explains to Lena that she doesn’t really like George, and Lena says, “I guess you better not waste your time with no fools.” The conflict is resolved because Beneatha says, “Thank you for understanding me this time.”
Rising action: Mrs. Johnson creates and intensifies another conflict, one that Lena has created with the purchase of the house in Clybourne park. Johnson believes that the Youngers will be bombed: “Negros invade Clybourne Park - Bombed” was what Johnson thinks the next headline will be. Walter loses his way because he hasn’t shown up to work for three days, and Mrs. Arnold calls, saying that if Walter doesn’t show up, he will lose his job. Lena gives Walter $6500 “$3000 to Beneatha’s medical schooling and put the rest in a checking account with your name on it” to help him set up a liquor store. Lena helps restore her son’s confidence by saying “I ain’t never stopped trusting you. Like I ain’t never stopped loving you.” Walter has a sudden change in attitude and resolution for his conflict adds to happiness when talking to his son, saying, “And I hand you the world.”
Scene Three: Moving day, one week later
Exposition/ Rising Action: With the resolution of many conflicts, everyone is happier. Walter and Ruth have just gone out for a date. Everything is packed up, ready for the move. As the new neighbor orientation committee “welcomes” them, Mr. Lindner says, “we are prepared to make your family a very generous offer...to buy the house from you at a financial gain.” The conflict that Lindner brings up is quickly resolved because they don’t even tell Lena what has happened, and they continue to give presents which further gives a sense that the conflicts are resolved. The family enriches Lena’s dream by giving her gardening tools and Travis an “elaborate wide gardening hat.”
CLIMAX: Another, more serious, conflict quickly arises when Bobo arrives--without Willy. Bobo reveals to Walter that Willy has taken the money: “When a cat take off with your money, he don’t leave you with no road maps.” All of the sudden, all of the conflicts related to the family’s financial situation begin to start to come back because Walter used Beneatha’s school money to help pay for the liquor store. Lena’s strong composure has been broken, seen in her broken and repeated phrases.
Act 3
Scene One: An hour later
Exposition: Asagai continues to court Ruth “Have I told you how deeply you move me?” Asagai learns about the stolen money and realizes that Ruth has lost her focus in life. This marks the start of the internal conflict within Beneatha; she stops caring about her dream of becoming a doctor because she has lost hope after Walter gave away the money.
Falling Action: Asagai asks her “And you’ve stopped caring?” And Beneatha replies “Yes, I think so...it was a child’s way of seeing things-- or an idealist’s” Asagai then attempts to comfort her saying that “children see things very well sometimes--and idealists even better”. Beneatha rejects this and Asagai’s quest for independence from colonialism. She shows that she has become disenfranchised with society by saying “independence and then what? what about all the crooks and thieves and just plain idiots who will come into power and steal and plunder the same as before...WHAT ABOUT THEM!?” This shows that Beneatha has lost faith in society after Willie stole the money. Asagai continues to be a guiding figure for Beneatha, constantly comforting her; saying “ isn’t there something wrong in a house --in a world--where all dreams, good or bad, must depend on the death of a man?” Asagai then invites Beneatha to go to Nigeria with him to teach her Nigerian heritage that she lost in America. “I will show you our mountains and our stars; and give you cool drinks from gourds and teach you the old songs and the ways of our people”
Walter then decides to call “the Man” Mr. Lindner, to “ do business with him” and take the money instead of moving into Clybourne Park. This decision meets resistance from mama “you making something inside me cry, son” , Beneatha “ Oh! God, where is the bottom?!”, but Walter is resolute, declaring “I am a man--and I think that my wife should wear some pearls in this world”. Beneatha criticizes Walter for his decision and derides him as a “toothless rat” and “no brother of mine”. When the moving people and Lindner arrive; mama makes Travis witness what his father is about to do (sell out to the white people) .
Resolution: This is when Walter changes his mind and says that “we have decided to move into our house because my father--my father-- had earned it for us brick by brick. This is essentially the resolution of the conflict regarding the new house; the family comes together against Lindner and everything he stands for “Let’s get the hell out of here” “ain’t that the truth”. Family joins together in uncertain times- into the unknown future.
Scene One: Friday morning
Exposition: The setting is introduced as a drab apartment where “wariness has in fact, won”. Introduces conflict related to the economic situation family is in.
Rising Action: Characterized by the minor conflict regarding school money for Travis and the conflicting views between Ruth and Walter in raising their child. This also leads to conflict and inability to connect between Ruth and Walter in the morning (argument on “scrambled eggs” shows underlying tension) and Ruth’s reluctance to support Walter in his business endeavors “That’s it! There you are. Man say to his woman: I got a dream. Woman say: eat your eggs”. Shows dreams of every character (Beneatha - medical school, Lena - garden, Ruth - provide for Travis, Walter - liquor store) and how money would help in achieving those goals. In addition, the conflict over Beneatha’s love life is introduced; the family wants her to marry George because He’s rich!”, but Beneatha states that “No, I would not marry him if all I felt for him is what I felt now”. Act leaves off on a note of concern as Ruth faints.
Scene Two: The following morning
Exposition: Beneatha Joseph Asagai is introduced, along with Beneatha’s affection for him and her African heritage.
Rising Action: Conflict about revealing Ruth’s two-month pregnancy is developed. Lena questions where another child is going to live in an already crowded apartment “Where is another baby supposed to sleep? On the roof?” which further shows the financial pressure on how to support another baby in an already crowded house;. Lena has “never been wrong ‘bout a woman neither” and she suspects that Ruth has not gone to a regular doctor, but one that specializes in abortion. Conflict continues to build regarding Walter’s liquor store “WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE LISTEN TO ME TODAY?”, but mama continues to refuse his request for money to start the liquor store, further intensifying conflict regarding how Lena’s insurance money will be spent.. Asagai gives Beneatha the Nigerian robe, and says about her hair “ you wear it well, very well mutilated hair and all”; revealing an internal conflict within Beneatha not only between George and Asagai, but also between her two cultures: American and African.
Act 2
Scene One: Later, the same day
Exposition: Scene opens with Beneatha embracing her African heritage as she dances traditional folk dances.
Rising Action: George and Beneatha go on a date, but George criticizes Beneatha for her Nigerian dress “We’re going to a play, we’re not in the play” while Beneatha confidently defends herself by saying that it’s “natural”. Walter annoys George as Walter tries to be formal with business issues because of the financial problems regarding the liquor store. Ruth and Walter try to work out their conflict since they don’t seem to connect as much anymore. They resolve their conflict by talking through it. Lena resolves the conflict of what to do with the insurance money by buying a house in Clybourne Park, which helps achieve some of the other characters’ dreams because Lena wanted to start a garden and Ruth wanted to get out of the crowded apartment. Ruth’s joy of her dream being fulfilled is when she says, “HALLELUJAH! AND GOODY-BYE MISERY.” Walter seems to be sullen about this and further deepened into the conflict that no one believes or listens to him. This is seen when he says, “So you butchered up a dream of mine.”
Scene Two: Friday Night, a few weeks later
Exposition: George and Beneatha continue to fight because they aren’t really connecting with each other since George doesn’t want to be involved in emotions. He says, “I want you to cut it out--the moody stuff.” Beneatha insists that she “loves to talk”. When Beneatha comes back home, she explains to Lena that she doesn’t really like George, and Lena says, “I guess you better not waste your time with no fools.” The conflict is resolved because Beneatha says, “Thank you for understanding me this time.”
Rising action: Mrs. Johnson creates and intensifies another conflict, one that Lena has created with the purchase of the house in Clybourne park. Johnson believes that the Youngers will be bombed: “Negros invade Clybourne Park - Bombed” was what Johnson thinks the next headline will be. Walter loses his way because he hasn’t shown up to work for three days, and Mrs. Arnold calls, saying that if Walter doesn’t show up, he will lose his job. Lena gives Walter $6500 “$3000 to Beneatha’s medical schooling and put the rest in a checking account with your name on it” to help him set up a liquor store. Lena helps restore her son’s confidence by saying “I ain’t never stopped trusting you. Like I ain’t never stopped loving you.” Walter has a sudden change in attitude and resolution for his conflict adds to happiness when talking to his son, saying, “And I hand you the world.”
Scene Three: Moving day, one week later
Exposition/ Rising Action: With the resolution of many conflicts, everyone is happier. Walter and Ruth have just gone out for a date. Everything is packed up, ready for the move. As the new neighbor orientation committee “welcomes” them, Mr. Lindner says, “we are prepared to make your family a very generous offer...to buy the house from you at a financial gain.” The conflict that Lindner brings up is quickly resolved because they don’t even tell Lena what has happened, and they continue to give presents which further gives a sense that the conflicts are resolved. The family enriches Lena’s dream by giving her gardening tools and Travis an “elaborate wide gardening hat.”
CLIMAX: Another, more serious, conflict quickly arises when Bobo arrives--without Willy. Bobo reveals to Walter that Willy has taken the money: “When a cat take off with your money, he don’t leave you with no road maps.” All of the sudden, all of the conflicts related to the family’s financial situation begin to start to come back because Walter used Beneatha’s school money to help pay for the liquor store. Lena’s strong composure has been broken, seen in her broken and repeated phrases.
Act 3
Scene One: An hour later
Exposition: Asagai continues to court Ruth “Have I told you how deeply you move me?” Asagai learns about the stolen money and realizes that Ruth has lost her focus in life. This marks the start of the internal conflict within Beneatha; she stops caring about her dream of becoming a doctor because she has lost hope after Walter gave away the money.
Falling Action: Asagai asks her “And you’ve stopped caring?” And Beneatha replies “Yes, I think so...it was a child’s way of seeing things-- or an idealist’s” Asagai then attempts to comfort her saying that “children see things very well sometimes--and idealists even better”. Beneatha rejects this and Asagai’s quest for independence from colonialism. She shows that she has become disenfranchised with society by saying “independence and then what? what about all the crooks and thieves and just plain idiots who will come into power and steal and plunder the same as before...WHAT ABOUT THEM!?” This shows that Beneatha has lost faith in society after Willie stole the money. Asagai continues to be a guiding figure for Beneatha, constantly comforting her; saying “ isn’t there something wrong in a house --in a world--where all dreams, good or bad, must depend on the death of a man?” Asagai then invites Beneatha to go to Nigeria with him to teach her Nigerian heritage that she lost in America. “I will show you our mountains and our stars; and give you cool drinks from gourds and teach you the old songs and the ways of our people”
Walter then decides to call “the Man” Mr. Lindner, to “ do business with him” and take the money instead of moving into Clybourne Park. This decision meets resistance from mama “you making something inside me cry, son” , Beneatha “ Oh! God, where is the bottom?!”, but Walter is resolute, declaring “I am a man--and I think that my wife should wear some pearls in this world”. Beneatha criticizes Walter for his decision and derides him as a “toothless rat” and “no brother of mine”. When the moving people and Lindner arrive; mama makes Travis witness what his father is about to do (sell out to the white people) .
Resolution: This is when Walter changes his mind and says that “we have decided to move into our house because my father--my father-- had earned it for us brick by brick. This is essentially the resolution of the conflict regarding the new house; the family comes together against Lindner and everything he stands for “Let’s get the hell out of here” “ain’t that the truth”. Family joins together in uncertain times- into the unknown future.