Raisin In The Sun Litblogs

Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 5
August 22, 2012

Act 1 Scene 1

Summary: The story starts off with Ruth and Walter getting in a fight and Travis asks for fifty cents for school money. Walter wants to open up and invest in a liquor and everyone is excited about an upcoming paycheck,  Bennie wants to be a doctor and might have to use the money from Mama's paycheck to pay for college. Bennie says God isn't real and Mama slaps here and makes her say that God is real.

Quotation: "Mama, you don't understand. It's all a matter of ideas, and God is just one idea I don't accept. It's not important...It's just that I get tired of Him getting credit for all the things the human race achieves through its own stubborn effort... there is only man and it is he who makes miracles!" (51).

Quotation Significance: Bennie says this because she is frustrated she doesn't get credit for all her hard work and the things she does and she decides to blame God for this. She doesn't realize if she is determined and works hard she will succeed.

Reflection:  The Youngers seem tired, worn-down, and sad. Their house and their lifestyle shows this. Ruth feels especially depressed and tries not to rub it off on Travis but I think she does and Travis and Walter notice this. Walter is obsessed with money, and Ruth wants to help him but appears stand-offish. Bennie wants to be a doctor but she feels nothing is working out the way she wanted it to and no one understands.  Mama just wants a cute house with a garden she has always dreamed of. All in all, this is a sad family, but with hope for the future.

Discussion Question: Why does Ruth act like she doesn't care about Walter when she is with him and later ask favors for him from Mama?

Act 2 Scene 1

Summary: Walter and Ruth perform a ceremonial Nigerian dance and George walks in on them and makes fun of Ruth and gets angry at Walter when he says some comments about George's appearance.  Walter and Ruth talk about money and their relationship, and Mama walks in to tell them that she bought a house. Walter gets upset because the money wasn't put toward his dream.

Quotation: "You run our lives like you want to. It was your money and you did what you wanted with it. So what you need for me to say it was alright for? So you butchered up a dream of mine-you- who always talking 'bout your children's dreams..."(95).

Quotation Significance: After hearing that Mama bought a house, Walter is angry because his dream was to invest in something, and be someone. He wants to be different from all the other black people in this time. He wants to own something and prove he doesn't need his Mama around to help him.

Reflection: The stakes are even higher in this scene.  Some key things are announced about the characters' feelings and desires. Obviously, Beneatha wants her life to be different and wants to go back to her roots in Africa and is starting to feel angry towards George. Ruth feels helpless and she feels she can't help her family like she always wished she could. Mama buys them a house because this was her dream and she doesn't want Ruth to go through with the abortion.  Travis feels stressed and just wants the normal things everyday kids want.  Walter wants to help his family and making a living but he has to rely on Mama and this makes him upset. He doesn't want to tell Ruth to have an abortion but he is afraid there is no other choice.

Discussion Question:  Why doesn't Walter appreciate everything Mama and Ruth do for him?

Act 2 Scene 2

Summary:  Beneatha tells Mama she thinks George is a fool, and Mama actually agrees with her and Beneatha is deeply touched like this. Mrs. Johnson comes over and after she leaves with coffee and food, Walter walks in and the family finds out he hasn't been to work for three days. Mama gives him 3000 dollars for investing and 3000 to Beneatha for college, Walter is ecstatic and promises good times to Travis.

Quotation: "You just name it, son... and I hand you the world!"(109).

Quotation Significance:  Walter says this to Travis and he means that he will give everything in the world to Travis. He feels this way because Mama gave him money for his investment, finally Walter won't have a reason to be sad and he is so happy he will be able to help his family and be someone.

Reflection:  In this scene, Beneatha and Mama are finally starting to agree on something and there is hope for the family. Walter gets his investment money and Beneatha gets money for college, and the will soon be moving to Clybourne Park. Walter promises Travis  any school and job he wants and Ruth won't have to have an abortion. Beneatha feels great about Asagai but thinks that George is a fool and doesn't want everything to be about sexual attraction, but also about feelings. But George disagrees. Overall , emotions are improving in this family and they are looking forward to what the future will bring for them. 

Discussion Question:  Do you think the Youngers will be able to adjust to life in Clybourne Park?

Act 2 Scene 3

Summary: Walter and Ruth are dancing when a man named Mr. Lindner shows up and tells them he will give them the money for the house in Clybourne Park and some extra money for them to move to a different neighborhood. They refuse and Mama opens a gift of garden tools and a hat from the whole family. Bobo arrives telling him that Willy never showed up to go to Springfield to spread out their money before the get their liquor license, Willy stole all the money- including Beneatha's college money. Mama hits Walter and the scene ends with the whole family upset.

Quotation: "Strength!" (130).

Quotation Significance: Even though this quote  is only one word, this one word tells exactly what the Youngers need to have at this moment and what will save them. They need to have strength to move into the all-white neighborhood, to find out how to get their money back, and how to stay together as a family.

Reflection: After the money getting stolen and Mr. Lidner, the Youngers are pretty stressed about how the future and what will come. The Youngers are planning still to move to Clybourne park, but they are worried on how they will fit into the nieghborhood- especially because they are not wanted there. Travis doesn't know what has happened and he has been troubled with the tensions between his parents. Beneatha already has enough troubles with George and she just know discovered she has no money to go to college. Obviously, this is a hard time for the Youngers but I believe they will pull though it and make it out okay.

Discussion Question: How do you think the Youngers will adjust into life at Clybourne Park?

My HE2 Othello Lit Blog

Othello Lit Blog
Mary Ann MacDonald
Period 4
8-13-12

Act 3 Scene 1 and 2.

Summary: In Scene 1, Cassio asks the musicians to play under Othello's window to amuse him, and the clown runs in and he tells them Othello wants them to stop playing.  Cassio sends the clown to ask Emilia to let him see Desdemona. Iago rushes in and tells Cassio he will send Emilia straight away, when Emilia arrives she and Cassio go off to a private area to talk. In Scene 2,  Othello gives Iago letters to give to the pilot and then send to the Senate. Then he and some Gentlemen go and walk around the fortification.

Key Quotation: "I never knew a Florentine more kind and honest."

Quotation Significance:  Cassio says this after Iago leaves to tell  Emilia to talk to him about speaking to Desdemmona. This is significant because Cassio is totally fooled by Iago and doesn't realize how two-faced Iago is.

Reflection: After reading this chapter, I have a good feeling on how the story to turn from here. I think that Othello will catch Desdemona and Cassio and he will kill her in his rage, and when he finds out she was innocent he will kill himself. I believe Iago wants revenge on Othello on a mere rumor of Othello sleeping with Emilia, and that he wasn't promoted to lieutenant. Instead Cassio was. I believe this is why Cassio is used as the man committing the "affair" with Desdemona, Iago wants revenge on him too.  I feel what on what Cassio and Roderigo are going through right now. They are blinded by Iago and his actions and are confused. Roderigo's money was stolen by Iago and Cassio's job was stolen as well. All in all, Iago is winning this race and someone has to figure out his plot and stop him.
Discussion Question: Do you think anyone will figure out what Iago is doing before it is too late?

Act 3 Scene 3

Summary: Othello and Iago catch Desdemona and Cassio together and Desdemona pleads to Othello to take Cassio back, afterwards, Iago hints that Cassio and Desdemona are in an affair.  When Iago states that Cassio has Desdemona's hankerchief he is convinced that they are in an affair and is determined to kill Desdemona.

Key Quotation: "Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on."

Quotation Significance: Iago is telling Othello to beware of jealously, because it is a monster that devours people.  This quote was significant because it is ironic in the sense that Iago wants Othello to be jealous and let the feeling devour him so Iago has his revenge.

Reflection: After reading this scene, I am even more certain that Iago is going to win. Obviously, Othello kills Desdemona and upon finding her innocence he kills himself to be with her. At the end of the chapter Iago also gets something else he wants- a promotion. Othello decides to promote Iago to his lieutenant. Roderigo is angry and upset and so is Cassio, they have been tricked by Iago and given false promises. All Roderigo's money is gone and Cassio just wants his job back. And obviously that will not happen. I feel Othello's pain and it scares me that he wants to kill his wife due to adultery when there is no real proof only rumors. Othello needs to talk to Desdemona and Cassio and find out the truth.
Discussion Question: Do you think Othello has it in him to kill Desdemona?

Act 3 Scene 4

Summary: Desdemona sends the Clown to go and find Cassio to tell him that he is mostly likely going t be able to get his job back. Othello walks in and he and Desdemona have a fight about the location of the hankerchief, Desdemona tells Cassio she can't solve his problem right now becaus Othello is angry. Cassio meets with his lover, Bianca and asks her to make a copy of Desdemona's hankerchief.

Quotation:" They are all but stomachs and we all be but food; They eat us hungerly, and when they are full they belch us."

Quotation Significance: Emilia says this after Othello storms out in a rage abut the hankerchief. This means that men use women and throw them away when they are finished with them. I believe this is what Othello is doing to Desdemona.

Reflection: Iago is a genius. He has decieved a man into thinking his wife is a cheater on merely rumors. He believes Iago wholeheartedly and will pay the price. I hope that sooner or later Othello fins out Iago's devious plot. I also feel bad for Cassio, becausehe is being used and will probably be killed by Iago. It is especially sad that Desdemona's kindness is what will kill her in the end. Emilia is helping to spell Desemona's end and doesn't know it. She thinks that Iago is a good man. I feel sad about how this story is going and I hope that at least Iago will be exposed for what he is.

Discussion Question:  Do you think Iago will go through with his plan?

Act 4 Scene 1

 Summary: Othello and Iago talk and Iago says Cassio said they were together in bed, and Othello goes into a trance. Cassio talks Iago and Othello eavesdrops hearing Cassio and Iago talk about Bianca, but Othello thinks they are talking about Desdemona. Bianca comes in an gives Cassio the hankerchief back, and Othello decides to strangle Desdemona tonight and Iago will kill Cassio, Othello hits Desdemona in front of important people.
Quotation: "So, so, so, so: they laugh that win."
Quotation Significance: This means that people win can laugh. This then means that Othello has given up and has acknowledged that Cassio has won.
Reflection: In this chapter I can feel the anger and suspense building in Othello. Othello feels like he wants to kill Desdemona and Iago is feeding him false information. I feel that in Act 5 Othello will kill Desdemona and expose Iago. I feel Iago's deception and he is a genius because he hinted many things to Othello but not too much so that why Othello can't say- "Iago told me". Iago would hint and then deny it. Iago has played his cards well and it looks like he is going to win.
Discussion Question: If you were Othello, would what you do?

Act 5 Scene 2

Summary: Othello debates over whether to kill Desdemona and when she wakes up at night he strangles her. Emilia rushes in stating that Rodrigo was dead. Everyone finds out Iago did this and Othello realizes Desdemona is innocent. Othello stabs himself and Iago is to be punished, tortured, killed,  or imprisoned for his crimes.

Quotation: "I kissed thee here I killed thee: no way but this, killing myself, to die upon a kiss." (91).

Quotation Significance: Othello states this right before he dies after killing himself when he finds out Desdemona is innocent. This is significant because it shows how much Othello cares about Desdemona  and he wants to kill himself to die with her kiss on his lips.

Reflection: In the last scene of the book, it really surprises me. I didn't think Roderigo would be killed by Iago, and it isn't really clear why Cassio wasn't killed.  Lodovico has the last line of the book, and in Romeo and Juliet a side character also has the last line. I always thought it was interesting a main character doesn't have the last line of the play. Othello says he will go to hell for what he has done to Desdemona, and I like that he accepted what he has done and is ready to suffer the consequences. Overall, this was a good book with lots of unexpected turns.

Discussion Question: What do you think will be Iago's fate?