A Raisin in the Sun: Ruth
by Gabriella Lawson
1. Walter is a dreamer. I think that Ruth was attracted to his ambition and his confidence. I think that Walter sold her on one of his dreams and told her that they wouldn't be in that apartment for long. But after one month, two months, three years go by, Ruth starts to give up on Walter's dreams and begins to accept her current reality because that is all that she has.
2. This is supported by when Walter is trying to get Ruth to pitch his idea to Mama and Ruth gets frustrated saying, "You always say the same thing every night, every morning and you never say nothing new".
3. Ruth doesn't want to bring another child into the world to put more stress on the family
4. While other characters focus on themselves, Ruth and Mama focus on the big picture; possibly because they are both mother's and they must look out for others over themselves
5. Two months ago Ruth conceived. Were things better two months ago? Was that the night they found out they were getting the check?
6. What is different this night from all other nights? Ruth finally takes life into her own hands by going to see about getting an abortion.
7. Ruth is trapped between loving her family and wanting better for her family as is Walter, but they show it in very different ways.
8. 30 years old
9. Married to Walter for 10 years
10. Mother of Travis
11. "Settled woman"
12. "Life has been little what she expected"
13. What are her dreams? Did she attempt to pursue them or did she simply marry Walter without thinking about the stress of being stuck in an apartment with his family for ten years?
14. I think Ruth's function in the play is to be a caretaker to Travis and a companion to Mama.
15. Throughout the play, Ruth is the only one that Mama can really level with. Mama says many times that she cannot understand or get through to her children. Ruth bridges the gap between the generations.