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Exam Question: (ENGLISH) IGCSE A Raisin in The Sun: 479962681

Mama defends Walter after Beneatha criticizes him for getting on his knees to beg for money. Mama tells Beneatha that there is always something left to love in a person, even at their lowest moments. She says the time to love someone most is when they are struggling, not when things are easy. Mama teaches Beneatha and Travis that there is dignity in fighting for your dreams, even in defeat.

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29 views

Exam Question: (ENGLISH) IGCSE A Raisin in The Sun: 479962681

Mama defends Walter after Beneatha criticizes him for getting on his knees to beg for money. Mama tells Beneatha that there is always something left to love in a person, even at their lowest moments. She says the time to love someone most is when they are struggling, not when things are easy. Mama teaches Beneatha and Travis that there is dignity in fighting for your dreams, even in defeat.

Uploaded by

Jane Chang
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Exam Question: [ENGLISH] IGCSE A Raisin in the


Sun
Read this extract, and then answer the question that follows it

BENEATHA: That is not a man. That is nothing but a toothless rat.


MAMA: Yes—death done come in this here house. (She is nodding, slowly, reflectively) Done come
walking in my house on the lips of my children. You what supposed to be my beginning again.
You—what supposed to be my harvest. (To BENEATHA) YOU—you mourning your brother?
BENEATHA: He’s no brother of mine.
MAMA: What you say?
BENEATHA: I said that that individual in that room is no brother of mine.
MAMA: That’s what I thought you said. You feeling like you better than he is today? (BENEATHA does not
answer) Yes? What you tell him a minute ago? That he wasn’t a man? Yes? You give him up for
me? You done wrote his epitaph too—like the rest of the world? Well, who give you the
privilege?
BENEATHA: Be on my side for once! You saw what he just did, Mama! You saw him—down on his knees.
Wasn’t it you who taught me to despise any man who would do that? Do what he’s going to do?
MAMA: Yes—I taught you that. Me and your daddy. But I thought I taught you something else too … I
thought I taught you to love him.
BENEATHA: Love him? There is nothing left to love.
MAMA: There is always something left to love. And if you ain’t learned that, you ain’t learned nothing.
(Looking at her) Have you cried for that boy today? I don’t mean for yourself and for the family
’cause we lost the money. I mean for him: what he been through and what it done to him. Child,
when do you think is the time to love somebody the most? When they done good and made
things easy for everybody? Well then, you ain’t through learning—because that ain’t the time at
all. It’s when he’s at his lowest and can’t believe in hisself ’cause the world done whipped him so!
When you starts measuring somebody, measure him right, child, measure him right. Make sure
you done taken into account what hills and valleys he come through before he got to wherever
he is. (TRAVIS bursts into the room at the end of the speech, leaving the door open)
TRAVIS: Grandmama—the moving men are downstairs! The truck just pulled up.
MAMA: (Turning and looking at him) Are they, baby? They downstairs? (She sighs and sits. LINDNER
appears in the doorway. He peers in and knocks lightly, to gain attention, and comes in. All turn
to look at him)
LINDNER: (Hat and briefcase in hand) Uh—hello … (RUTH crosses mechanically to the bedroom door and
opens it and lets it swing open freely and slowly as the lights come up on WALTER within, still in
his coat, sitting at the far corner of the room. He looks up and out through the room to LINDNER)
RUTH: He’s here. (A long minute passes and WALTER slowly gets up)
LINDNER: (Coming to the table with efficiency, putting his briefcase on the table and starting to unfold
papers and unscrewfountain pens) Well, I certainly was glad to hear from you people. (WALTER
has begun the trek out of the room, slowly and awkwardly, rather like a small boy, passing the
back of his sleeve across his mouth from time to time) Life can really be so much simpler than
people let it be most of the time. Well—with whom do I negotiate? You, Mrs. Younger, or your
son here? ( MAMA sits with her hands folded on her lap and her eyes closed as WALTER
advances. TRAVIS goes closer to LINDNER and looks at the papers curiously) Just some official
papers, sonny.
RUTH: Travis, you go downstairs—
MAMA: (Opening her eyes and looking into WALTER’S) No. Travis, you stay right here. And you make him
understand what you doing, Walter Lee. You teach him good. Like Willy Harris taught you. You
show where our five generations done come to. (WALTER looks from her to the boy, who grins at
him innocently) Go ahead, son— (She folds her hands and closes her eyes) Go ahead.

What does Hansberry’s writing make you feel about Mama in this extract?

4-Dec-19 Jane Chang 1

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