A Raisin in the Sun Notes | Objects/Places

Younger living room: The play takes place entirely in the living room of the Younger household in Chicago's Southside. Hansberry describes it as having a personality of its own. It is small, but houses so many people and so much love. 'Weariness has, in fact, won in this room. Everything has been polished, washed, sat on, used, scrubbed too often. All pretenses but living itself have long since vanished from the very atmosphere of this room' (Hansberry 3).

The Check: The check from the insurance company is the object of everyone's desire, in one way, shape or form. It is for ten thousand dollars and is from their father's life insurance. Walter Lee is obsessed with the money from it so that he can start a new business, Beneatha wants it for medical school tuition, and Ruth wants to help the entire family start fresh in a new house. To Mama, it represents her dead husband and she would rather not deal with the financial burdens which accompany it.

Chicago's Southside: The Younger family lives in Chicago's Southside, a poor, black neighborhood. They feel at home here, but are trying to leave it to move upwards in society.

Clybourne Park: Clybourne Park is the new white community to which the Younger family plans to move. The Clybourne Welcoming Committee, represented solely by Mr. Lindner, tries to pay the Youngers off so that they will not move into his private, elitist community.

Nigerian robes: Asagai, Beneatha's African boyfriend, brings her authentic Nigerian robes from home as a gift. When she puts the cloth on her body, she assumes the role of a Nigerian princess. They represent the true Negro roots of the Younger family in Africa.

Mama's plant: Mama perpetually tends to her small window plant and returns to it at the conclusion of the play. Because of her love for foliage, the family buys her gardening tools and a gardening hat as a moving gift. It is something genuine that Mama loves and that she can grow and tend to on her own.