ACT 1, SCENE ii
RAISIN IN THE SUN
ACT ONE, SCENE TWO
It is the following morning; a Saturday morning, and
house cleaning is in progress at the YOUNGERS. Furniture
has been shoved hither and yon and MAMA is giving the
kitchen-area walls a washing down. BENEATHA, in dun-
garees, with a handkerchief tied around her face, is
spraying insecticide into the cracks in the walls. As they
work, the radio is on and a Southside disk-jockey pro-
gram is inappropriately filling the house with a rather
exotic saxophone blues. TRAVIS, the sole idle one, is lean-
ing on his arms, looking out of the window.
TRAVIS Grandmama, that stuff Bennie is using smells
awful. Can I go downstairs, please?
MAMA Did you get all them chores done already? I ain't
seen you doing much.
TRAVIS Yes'm finished early. Where did Mama go this
morning?
MAMA (Looking at BENEATHA) She had to go on a little
errand.
(The phone rings. BENEATHA runs to answer it and
reaches it before WALTER, who has entered from
bedroom)
TRAVIS Where?
MAMA To tend to her business.
BENEATHA Haylo . . . (Disappointed) Yes, he is. (She
tosses the phone to WALTER, who barely catches it) It's
Willie Harris again.
WALTER (As privately as possible under MAMA'S gaze)
Hello, Willie. Did you get the papers from the lawyer?
. . . No, not yet. I told you the mailman doesn't get here
till ten-thirty . . . No, I'll come there . . . Yeah! Right
away. (He hangs up and goes for his coat)
BENEATHA Brother, where did Ruth go?
WALTER (As he exits) How should I know!
TRAVIS Aw come on, Grandma. Can I go outside?
MAMA Oh, I guess so. You stay right in front of the
house, though, and keep a good lookout for the post-
man.
TRAVIS Yes'm. (He darts into bedroom for stickball and
bat, reenters, and sees BENEATHA on her knees spraying
under sofa with behind upraised. He edges closer to the
target, takes aim, and lets her have it. She screams)
Leave them poor little cockroaches alone, they ain't
bothering you none! (He runs as she swings the spray-
gun at h ; m viciously and playfully) Grandma! Grandma!
MAMA Look out there, girl, before you be spilling some
of that stuff on that child!
TRAVIS (Safely behind the bastion of MAMA) That's
right look out, now! (He exits)
BENEATHA (Drily) I can't imagine that it would hurt him
it has never hurt the roaches.
MAMA Well, little boys' hides ain't as tough as Southside
roaches. You better get over there behind the bureau. I
seen one marching out of there like Napoleon yesterday.
BENEATHA There's really only one way to get rid of
them, Mama
MAMA HOW?
BENEATHA Set fire to this building! Mama, where did
Ruth go?
MAMA (Looking at her with meaning) To the doctor, I
think.
BENEATHA The doctor? What's the matter? (They ex-
change glances) You don't think
MAMA (With her sense of drama) Now I ain't saying
what I think. But I ain't never been wrong 'bout a
woman neither.
(The phone rings')
BENEATHA (At the phone) Hay-lo . . . (Pause, and a
moment of recognition) Well when did you get back!
. . . And how was it? ... Of course I've missed you
in my way . . . This morning? No . . . house cleaning
and all that and Mama hates it if I let people come
over when the house is like this . . . You have? Well,
that's different . . . What is it Oh, what the hell,
come on over . . . Right, see you then. Arrividerci.
(She hangs up)
MAMA (Who has listened vigorously, as is her habit)
Who is that you inviting over here with this house
looking like this? You ain't got the pride you was born
with!
BENEATHA Asagai doesn't care how houses look, Mama
he's an intellectual.
MAMA Who?
BENEATHA Asagai Joseph Asagai. He's an African boy
I met on campus. He's been studying in Canada all
summer.
MAMA What's his name?
BENEATHA Asagai, Joseph. Ah-sah-guy . . . He's from
Nigeria.
MAMA Oh, that's the little country that was founded by
slaves way back . , .
BENEATHA No, Mama that* s Liberia.
MAMA I don't think I never met no African before.
BENEATHA Well, do me a favor and don't ask him a
whole lot of ignorant questions about Africans. I mean,
do they wear clothes and all that
MAMA Well, now, I guess if you think we so ignorant
'round here maybe you shouldn't bring your friends
here
BENEATHA It's just that people ask such crazy things.
All anyone seems to know about when it comes to
Africa is Tarzan
MAMA (Indignantly) Why should I know anything about
Africa?
BENEATHA Why do you give money at church for the
missionary work?
MAMA Well, that's to help save people.
BENEATHA You mean save them from heathenism
MAMA (Innocently) Yes.
BENEATHA I'm afraid they need more salvation from the
British and the French.
(RUTH comes in forlornly and pulls off her coat
with dejection. They both turn to look at her)
RUTH (Dispiritedly) Well, I guess from all the happy
f aces everybody knows.
BENEATHA You pregnant?
MAMA Lord have mercy, I sure hope it's a little old girl.
Travis ought to have a sister.
(BENEATHA and RUTH give her a hopeless look for
this grandmotherly enthusiasm)
BENEATHA How far along are you?
RUTH Two months.
BENEATHA Did you mean to? I mean did you plan it or
was it an accident?
MAMA What do you know about planning or not plan-
ning?
BENEATHA Oh, Mama.
RUTH ( Wearily) She's twenty years old, Lena.
BENEATHA Did you plan it, Ruth?
RUTH Mind your own business.
BENEATHA It is my business where is he going to live,
on the roof? (There is silence following the remark as
the three women react to the sense of it) Gee I
didn't mean that, Ruth, honest. Gee, I don't feel like
that at all. I I think it is wonderful.
RUTH (Dully) Wonderful.
BENEATHA Yes really.
MAMA (Looking at RUTH, worried) Doctor say every-
thing going to be all right?
RUTH (Far away) Yes she says everything is going to
be fine . . .
MAMA (Immediately suspicious) "She" What doctor
you went to?
(RUTH folds over, near hysteria)
MAMA (Worriedly hovering over RUTH) Ruth honey
what's the matter with you you sick?
(RUTH has her fists clenched on her thighs and is
fighting hard to suppress a scream that seems to
be rising in her)
BENEATHA What's the matter with her, Mama?
MAMA (Working her fingers in RUTH'S shoulders to relax
her) She be all right. Women gets right depressed
sometimes when they get her way. (Speaking softly,
expertly, rapidly) Now you just relax. That's right . . .
just lean back, don't think 'bout nothing at all ...
nothing at all
RUTH I'm all right . . .
(The glassy-eyed look melts and then she col-
lapses into a fit of heavy sobbing. The bell rings)
BENEATHA Oh, my God that must be Asagai.
MAMA (To RUTH) Come on now, honey. You need to
lie down and rest awhile . . . then have some nice hot
food.
(They exit, RUTH'S weight on her mother-in-law.
BENEATHA, herself profoundly disturbed, opens
the door to admit a rather dramatic-looking young
man with a large package)
ASAGAI Hello, Alaiyo
BENEATHA (Holding the door open and regarding him
with pleasure) Hello . . . (Long pause) Well come
in. And please excuse everything. My mother was very
upset about my letting anyone come here with the
place like this.
ASAGAI' (Coming into the room) You look disturbed
too ... Is something wrong?
BENEATHA (Still at the door, absently) Yes . . . we've
all got acute ghetto-itus. (She smiles and comes toward
him, finding a cigarette and sitting) So sit down!
No! Wait! (She whips the spray gun off sofa where she
had left it and puts the cushions back. At last perches
on arm of sofa. He sits) So, how was Canada?
ASAGAI (A sophisticate} Canadian.
BENEATHA (Looking at him) Asagai, I'm very glad you
are back.
ASAGAI (Looking back at her in turn) Are you really?
BENEATHA Yes very.
ASAGAI Why? you were quite glad when I went .away.
What happened?
BENEATHA You went away.
ASAGAI Ahhhhhhhh.
BENEATHA Before you wanted to be so serious before
there was time.
ASAGAI How much time must there be before one knows
what one feels?
BENEATHA (Stalling this particular conversation. Her hands
pressed together, in a deliberately childish gesture)
What did you bring me?
ASAGAI (Handing her the package) Open it and see.
BENEATHA (Eagerly opening the package and drawing
out some records and the colorful robes of a Nigerian
woman) Oh, Asagai! . . . You got them for me! . . .
How beautiful . . . and the records too! (She lifts out
the robes and runs to the mirror with them and holds
the drapery up in front of herself)
ASAGAI (Coming to her at the mirror) I shall have to
teach you how to drape it properly. (He flings the
material about her for the moment and stands back to
look at her) Ah Oh-pay-gay~day, oh-gbah-mu-shay.
(A Yoruba exclamation for admiration) You wear it
well . . . very well . . . mutilated hair and all.
BENEATHA (Turning suddenly) My hair what's wrong
with my hair?
ASAGAI (Shrugging) Were you born with it like that?
BENEATHA (Reaching up to touch it) No ... of course
not.
(She looks back to the mirror, disturbed)
ASAGAI (Smiling) How then?
BENEATHA You know perfectly well how ... as crinkly
as yours . . . that's how.
ASAGAI And it is ugly to you that way?
BENEATHA (Quickly) Oh, no not ugly . . . (More
slowly, apologetically) But it's so hard to manage
when it's, well raw.
ASAGAI And so to accommodate that you mutilate it
every week?
BENEATHA It's not mutilation!
ASAGAI (Laughing aloud at her seriousness) Oh ...
please! I am only teasing you because you are so very
serious about these things. (He stands back from her
and folds his arms across his chest as he watches her
pulling at her hair and frowning in the minor) Do you
remember the first time you met me at school? . . . (He
laughs) You came up to .me and you said and I
thought you were the most serious little thing I had
ever seen you said: (He imitates her) "Mr. Asagai I
want very much to talk with you. About Africa. You
see, Mr. Asagai, I am looking for my identity! 9 '
(He laughs)
BENEATHA (Turning to him, not laughing) Yes
(Her face is quizzical, profoundly disturbed)
ASAGAI (Still teasing and reaching out and taking her face
in his hands and turning her profile to him) Well . . .
it is true that this is not so much a profile of a Holly-
wood queen as perhaps a queen of the Nile (A mock
dismissal of the importance of the question) But what
does it matter? Assimilationism is so popular in your
country.
BENEATHA (Wheeling, passionately, sharply) I am not
an assimilationist!
ASAGAI (The protest hangs in the room for a moment and
ASAGAI studies her, his laughter fading) Such a seri-
ous one, (There is a pause) So you like the robes?
You must take excellent care of them they are from
my sister's personal wardrobe.
BENEATHA (With incredulity) You you sent all the
way home for me?
ASAGAI (With charm) For you I would do much more
. . . Well, that is what I came for. I must go.
BENEATHA Will you call me Monday?
ASAGAI Yes . . . We have a great deal to talk about. I
mean about identity and time and all that.
BENEATHA Time?
ASAGAI Yes. About how much time one needs to know
what one feels.
BENEATHA You see! You never understood that there is
more than one kind of feeling which can exist between
a man and a woman or, at least, there should be.
ASAGAI (Shaking his head negatively but gently) No.
Between a man and a woman there need be only one
kind of feeling. I have that for you . . . Now even . . .
right this moment ...
BENEATHA I know and by itself it won't do. I can
find that anywhere.
ASAGAI For a woman it should be enough.
BENEATHA I know because that's what it says in all the
novels that men write. But it isn't. Go ahead and
laugh but I'm not interested in being someone's little
episode in America or (With feminine vengeance)
one of them! (ASAGAI has burst into laughter again)
That's funny as hell, huh!
ASAGAI It's just that every American girl I have known
has said that to me. White black in this you are all
the same. And the same speech, too!
BENEATHA (Angrily) Yuk, yuk, yuk!
ASAGAI It's how you can be sure that the world's most
liberated women are not liberated at all. You all talk
about it too much!
(MAMA enters and is immediately all social charm
because of the presence of a guest)
BENEATHA Oh Mama this is Mr. Asagai.
MAMA How do you do?
ASAGAI (Total politeness to an elder) How do you do,
Mrs. Younger. Please forgive me for coming at such
an outrageous hour on a Saturday.
MAMA Well, you are quite welcome. I just hope you
understand that our house don't always look like this.
(Chatterish) You must come again. I would love to
here all about (Not sure of the name) your country.
I think it's so sad the way our American Negroes don't
know nothing about Africa 'cept Tarzan and all that.
And all that money they pour into these churches when
they ought to be helping you people over there drive out
them French and Englishmen done taken away your
land.
(The mother flashes a slightly superior look at
her daughter upon completion of the recitation)
ASAGAI (Taken aback by this sudden and acutely unre-
lated expression of sympathy) Yes ... yes ...
MAMA (Smiling at him suddenly and relaxing and look-
ing him over) How many miles is it from here to
where you come from?
ASAGAI Many thousands.
MAMA (Looking at him as she would WALTER) I bet
you don't half look after yourself, being away from
your mama either. I spec you better come 'round here
from time to time to get yourself some decent home-
cooked meals . . .
ASAGAI (Moved) Thank you. Thank you very much.
(They are all quiet, then ) Well ... I must go. I
will call you Monday, Alaiyo.
MAMA What's that he call you?
ASAGAI Oh "Alaiyo." I hope you don't mind. It is
what you would call a nickname, I think. It is a Yoruba
word. I am a Yoruba.
MAMA (Looking at BENEATHA) I I thought he was
from (Uncertain)
ASAGAI (Understanding) Nigeria is my country. Yoruba
is my tribal origin
BENEATHA You didn't tell us what Alaiyo means . . .
for all I know, you might be calling me Little Idiot or
something . . .
ASAGAI Well . . . let me see ... I do not know how
just to explain it ... The sense of a thing can be so
different when it changes languages.
BENEATHA You're evading.
ASAGAI No really it is difficult . . . (Thinking) It means
... it means One for Whom Bread Food Is Not
Enough. {He looks at her) Is that all right?
BENEATHA ( Understanding, softly) Thank you.
MAMA (Looking from one to the other and not under-
standing any of it) Well , . . that's nice . . . You must
come see us again Mr.
ASAGAI Ah-sah-guy * * .
MAMA Yes . . . Do come again.
ASAGAI Good-bye,
(He exits)
MAMA (After him) Lord, that's a pretty thing just went
out here! (Insinuatingly, to her daughter) Yes, I guess
I see why we done commence to get so interested in
Africa 'round here. Missionaries my aunt Jenny!
(She exits)
BENEATHA Oh, Mama! . . .
(She picks up the Nigerian dress and holds it up
to her in front of the mirror again. She sets the
headdress on haphazardly and then notices her
hair again and clutches at it and then replaces the
headdress and frowns at herself. Then she starts
to wriggle in front of the mirror as she thinks a
Nigerian woman might. TRAVIS enters and stands
regarding her)
TRAVIS What's the matter, girl, you cracking up?
BENEATHA Shut Up.
(She pulls the headdress off and looks at herself
in the mirror and clutches at her hair again and
squinches her eyes as if trying to imagine some-
thing. Then, suddenly, she gets her raincoat and
kerchief and hurriedly prepares for going out)
MAMA (Coming back into the room) She's resting now.
Travis, baby, run next door and ask Miss Johnson to
please let me have a little kitchen cleanser. This here
can is empty as Jacob's kettle.
TRAVIS I just came in.
MAMA Do as you told. (He exits and she looks at her
daughter) Where you going?
BENEATHA (Halting at the door) To become a queen of
the Nile!
(She exits in a breathless blaze of glory. RUTH ap-
pears in the bedroom doorway)
MAMA Who told you to get up?
RUTH Ain't nothing wrong with me to be lying in no
bed for. Where did Bennie go?
MAMA (Drumming her fingers) Far as I could make
out to Egypt. (RUTH just looks at her) What time is
it getting to?
RUTH Ten twenty. And the mailman going to ring that
bell this morning just like he done every morning for
the last umpteen years.
(TRAVIS comes in with the cleanser can)
TRAVIS She say to tell you that she don't have much.
MAMA (Angrily) Lord, some people I could name sure
is tight-fisted! (Directing her grandson) Mark two cans
of cleanser down on the list there. If she that hard up
for kitchen cleanser, I sure don't want to forget to get
her none!
RUTH Lena maybe the woman is just short on cleans-
er
MAMA (Not listening) Much baking powder as she
done borrowed from me all these years, she could of
done gone into the baking business!
(The bell sounds suddenly and sharply and all
three are stunned serious and silent mid-speech.
In spite of all the other conversations and dis-
tractions of the morning, this is what they have
been waiting for, even TRAVIS, who looks help-
lessly from his mother to his grandmother. RUTH
is the first to come to life again)
RUTH (To TRAVIS) Get down them steps, boy!
(TRAVIS snaps to life and flies out to get the mail)
MAMA (Her eyes wide, her hand to her breast) You
mean it done really come?
RUTH (Excited) Oh, Miss Lena!
MAMA (Collecting herself) Well ... I don't know what
we all so excited about 'round here for. We known it
was coming for months.
RUTH That's a whole lot different from having it come
and being able to hold it in your hands ... a piece of
paper worth ten thousand dollars . . . (TRAVIS bursts
back into the room. He holds the envelope high above
his head, like a little dancer, his face is radiant and he
is breathless. He moves to his grandmother with sud-
den slow ceremony and puts the envelope into her
hands. She accepts it, and then merely holds it and
looks at it) Come on! Open it ... Lord have mercy,
I wish Walter Lee was here!
TRAVIS Open it, Grandmama!
MAMA (Staring at it) Now you all be quiet. It's just a
check.
RUTH Open it ...
MAMA (Still staring at it) Now don't act silly ... We
ain't never been no people to act silly 'bout no money
RUTH (Swiftly) We ain't never had none before OPEN
IT!
(MAMA finally makes a good strong tear and pulls
out the thin blue slice of paper and inspects it
closely. The boy and his mother study it raptly
over MAMA'S shoulders)
MAMA Travis! (She is counting off with doubt) Is that
the right number of zeros.
TRAVIS Yes'm . . . ten thousand dollars. Gaalee, Grand-
mama, you rich.
MAMA (She holds the check away from her, still looking
at it. Slowly her face sobers into a mask of unhappi-
ness) Ten thousand dollars. (She hands it to RUTH)
Put it away somewhere, Ruth. (She does not look at
RUTH; her eyes seem to be seeing something some-
where very far off) Ten thousand dollars they give
you. Ten thousand dollars,
TRAVIS (To his mother, sincerely) What's the matter
with Grandmama don't she want to be rich?
RUTH (Distractedly) You go on out and play now,
baby. (TRAVIS exits. MAMA starts wiping dishes absent-
ly, humming intently to herself. RUTH turns to her, with
kind exasperation) You've gone and got yourself upset.
MAMA (Not looking at her) I spec if it wasn't for you
all ... I would just put that money away or give it to
the church or something.
RUTH Now what kind of talk is that. Mr. Younger
would just be plain mad if he could hear you talking
foolish like that.
MAMA (Stopping and staring off) Yes . . . he sure
would. (Sighing) We got enough to do with that
money, all right. (She halts then, and turns and looks
at her daughter-in-law hard; RUTH avoids her eyes and
MAMA wipes her hands with finality and starts to speak
firmly to RUTH) Where did you go today, girl?
RUTH To the doctor.
MAMA (Impatiently) Now, Ruth , . . you know better
than that. Old Doctor Jones is strange enough in his
way but there ain't nothing 'bout him make somebody
slip and call him "she" like you done this morning.
RUTH Well, that's what happened my tongue slipped.
MAMA You went to see that woman, didn't you?
RUTH (Defensively, giving herself away) What woman
you talking about?
MAMA (Angrily ) That woman who
(WALTER enters in great excitement)
WALTER Did it come?
MAMA (Quietly) Can't you give people a Christian
greeting before you start asking about money?
WALTER (To RUTH) Did it come? (RUTH unfolds the
check and lays it quietly before him, watching him in-
tently with thoughts of her own. WALTER sits down
and grasps it close and counts off the zeros) Ten thou-
sand dollars (He turns suddenly, frantically to his
mother and draws some papers out of his breast pock-
et) Mama look. Old Willy Harris put everything on
paper
MAMA Son I think you ought to talk to your wife . . .
I'll go on out and leave you alone if you want
WALTER I can talk to her later Mama, look
MAMA Son
WALTER WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE LISTEN TO
ME TODAY!
MAMA (Quietly) I don't 'low no yellin' in this house,
Walter Lee, and you know it (WALTER stares at them
in frustration and starts to speak several times) And
there ain't going to be no investing in no liquor stores.
WALTER But, Mama, you ain't even looked at it.
MAMA I don't aim to have to speak on that again.
(A long pause)
WALTER You ain't looked at it and you don't aim to have
to speak on that again? You ain't even looked at it and
you have decided (Crumpling his papers) Well, you
tell that to my boy tonight when you put him to sleep
on the living-room couch . . . (Turning to MAMA and
speaking directly to her) Yeah and tell it to my wife,
Mama, tomorrow when she has to go out of here to
look after somebody else's kids. And tell it to me,
Mama, every time we need a new pair of curtains and I
have to watch you go out and work in somebody's
kitchen. Yeah, you tell me then!
(WALTER starts out)
RUTH Where you going?
WALTER I'm going out!
RUTH Where?
WALTER Just out of this house somewhere
RUTH (Getting her coat) I'll come too.
WALTER I don't want you to come!
RUTH I got something to talk to you about, Walter.
WALTER That's too bad.
MAMA (Still quietly) Walter Lee (She waits and he
finally turns and looks at her) Sit down.
WALTER I'm a grown man, Mama.
MAMA Ain't nobody said you wasn't grown. But you
still in my house and my presence. And as long as you
are you'll talk to your wife civil. Now sit down.
RUTH (Suddenly) Oh, let him go on out and drink him-
self to death! He makes me sick to my stomach! (She
flings her coat against him and exits to bedroom)
WALTER (Violently flinging the coat after her) And you
turn mine too, baby! (The door slams behind her) That
was my biggest mistake
MAMA (Still quietly) Walter, what is the matter with
you?
WALTER Matter with me? Ain't nothing the matter with
me!
MAMA Yes there is. Something eating you up like a
crazy man. Something more than me not giving you
this money. The past few years I been watching it
happen to you. You get all nervous acting and kind
of wild in the eyes (WALTER jumps up impatiently
at her words) I said sit there now, I'm talking to you!
WALTER Mama I don't need no nagging at me today.
MAMA Seem like you getting to a place where you al-
ways tied up in some kind of knot about something.
But if anybody ask you 'bout it you just yell at 'em
and bust out the house and go out and drink some-
wheres. Walter Lee, people can't live with that. Ruth's
a good, patient girl in her way but you getting to be
too much. Boy, don't make the mistake of driving that
girl away from you.
WALTER Why what she do for me?
MAMA She loves you.
WALTER Mama I'm going out. I want to go off some-
where and be by myself for a while.
MAMA I'm sorry 'bout your liquor store, son. It just
wasn't the thing for us to do. That's what I want to
tell you about
WALTER I got to go out, Mama
{He rises)
MAMA It's dangerous, son.
WALTER What's dangerous?
MAMA When a man goes outside his home to look for
peace.
WALTER (Beseechingly) Then why can't there never be
no peace in this house then?
MAMA You done found it in some other house?
WALTER No there ain't no woman! Why do women
always think there's a woman somewhere when a man
gets restless. (Picks up the check) Do you know what
this money means to me? Do you know what this money
can do for us? (Puts it back) Mama Mama I want
so many things
MAMA Yes, son
WALTER I want so many things that they are driving me
kind of crazy . . . Mama look at me.
MAMA I'm looking at you. You 1 a good-looking boy.
You got a job, a nice wife, a fine boy and
WALTER A job. (Looks at her) Mama, a job? I open
and close car doors all day long. I drive a man around
in his limousine and I say, "Yes, sir; no, sir; very
good, sir; shall I take the Drive, sir?" Mama, that ain't
no kind of job . . . that ain't nothing at all. (Very
quietly) Mama, I don't know if I can make you under-
stand.
MAMA Understand what, baby?
WALTER (Quietly) Sometimes it's like I can see the fu-
ture stretched out in front of me just plain as day.
The future, Mama. Hanging over there at the edge of
my days. Just waiting for me a big, looming blank
space full of nothing. Just waiting for me. But it don't
have to be. (Pause. Kneeling beside her chair) Mama
sometimes when I'm downtown and I pass them cool,
quiet-looking restaurants where them white boys are
sitting back and talking 'bout things . . . sitting there
turning deals worth millions of dollars . . . sometimes I
see guys don't look much older than me
MAMA Son how come you talk so much *bout money?
WALTER (With immense passion) Because it is life,
Mama!
MAMA (Quietly) Oh (Very quietly) So now it's life.
Money is life. Once upon a time freedom used to be
life now it's money. I guess the world really do
change . . .
WALTER No it was always money, Mama. We just
didn't know about it.
MAMA No ... something has changed. (She looks at
him) You something new, boy. In my time we was
worried about not being lynched and getting to the
North if we could and how to stay alive and still have
a pinch of dignity too . . . Now here come you and
Beneatha talking 'bout things we ain't never even
thought about hardly, me and your daddy. You ain't
satisfied or proud of nothing we done. I mean that you
had a home; that we kept you out of trouble till you
was grown; that you don't have to ride to work on the
back of nobody's streetcar You my children but
how different we done become.
WALTER (A long beat. He pats her hand and gets up)
You just don't understand, Mama, you just don't under-
stand.
MAMA Son do you know your wife is expecting an-
other baby? (WALTER stands, stunned, and absorbs
what his mother has said) That's what she wanted to
talk to you about. (WALTER sinks down into a chair)
This ain't for me to be telling but you ought to know.
(She waits) I think Ruth is thinking 'bout getting rid
of that child.
WALTER (Slowly understanding) No no Ruth
wouldn't do that.
MAMA When the world gets ugly enough a woman
will do anything for her family. The part that's already
living.
WALTER You don't know Ruth, Mama, if you think she
would do that,
(RUTH opens the bedroom door and stands there
a little limp)
RUTH (Beaten) Yes I would too, Walter. (Pause) I
gave her a five-dollar down payment.
(There is total silence as the man stares at his
wife and the mother stares at her son)
MAMA (Presently) Well (Tightly) Well son, I'm
waiting to hear you say something . . . (She waits) I'm
waiting to hear how you be your father's son. Be the
man he was . . . (Pause. The silence shouts) Your wife
say she going to destroy your child. And I'm waiting to
hear you talk like him and say we a people who give
children life, not who destroys them (She rises) I'm
waiting to see you stand up and look like your daddy
and say we done give up one baby to poverty and that
we ain't going to give up nary another one . . . I'm
waiting.
WALTER Ruth (He can say nothing)
MAMA If you a son of mine, tell her! (WALTER picks up
his keys and his coat and walks out. She continues, bit-
terly) You . . . you are a disgrace to your father's
memory. Somebody get me my hat!
CurtainLast modified: Saturday, 27 November 2010, 02:11 AM Skip SettingsSettings
ACT ONE, SCENE TWO
It is the following morning; a Saturday morning, and
house cleaning is in progress at the YOUNGERS. Furniture
has been shoved hither and yon and MAMA is giving the
kitchen-area walls a washing down. BENEATHA, in dun-
garees, with a handkerchief tied around her face, is
spraying insecticide into the cracks in the walls. As they
work, the radio is on and a Southside disk-jockey pro-
gram is inappropriately filling the house with a rather
exotic saxophone blues. TRAVIS, the sole idle one, is lean-
ing on his arms, looking out of the window.
TRAVIS Grandmama, that stuff Bennie is using smells
awful. Can I go downstairs, please?
MAMA Did you get all them chores done already? I ain't
seen you doing much.
TRAVIS Yes'm finished early. Where did Mama go this
morning?
MAMA (Looking at BENEATHA) She had to go on a little
errand.
(The phone rings. BENEATHA runs to answer it and
reaches it before WALTER, who has entered from
bedroom)
TRAVIS Where?
MAMA To tend to her business.
BENEATHA Haylo . . . (Disappointed) Yes, he is. (She
tosses the phone to WALTER, who barely catches it) It's
Willie Harris again.
WALTER (As privately as possible under MAMA'S gaze)
Hello, Willie. Did you get the papers from the lawyer?
. . . No, not yet. I told you the mailman doesn't get here
till ten-thirty . . . No, I'll come there . . . Yeah! Right
away. (He hangs up and goes for his coat)
BENEATHA Brother, where did Ruth go?
WALTER (As he exits) How should I know!
TRAVIS Aw come on, Grandma. Can I go outside?
MAMA Oh, I guess so. You stay right in front of the
house, though, and keep a good lookout for the post-
man.
TRAVIS Yes'm. (He darts into bedroom for stickball and
bat, reenters, and sees BENEATHA on her knees spraying
under sofa with behind upraised. He edges closer to the
target, takes aim, and lets her have it. She screams)
Leave them poor little cockroaches alone, they ain't
bothering you none! (He runs as she swings the spray-
gun at h ; m viciously and playfully) Grandma! Grandma!
MAMA Look out there, girl, before you be spilling some
of that stuff on that child!
TRAVIS (Safely behind the bastion of MAMA) That's
right look out, now! (He exits)
BENEATHA (Drily) I can't imagine that it would hurt him
it has never hurt the roaches.
MAMA Well, little boys' hides ain't as tough as Southside
roaches. You better get over there behind the bureau. I
seen one marching out of there like Napoleon yesterday.
BENEATHA There's really only one way to get rid of
them, Mama
MAMA HOW?
BENEATHA Set fire to this building! Mama, where did
Ruth go?
MAMA (Looking at her with meaning) To the doctor, I
think.
BENEATHA The doctor? What's the matter? (They ex-
change glances) You don't think
MAMA (With her sense of drama) Now I ain't saying
what I think. But I ain't never been wrong 'bout a
woman neither.
(The phone rings')
BENEATHA (At the phone) Hay-lo . . . (Pause, and a
moment of recognition) Well when did you get back!
. . . And how was it? ... Of course I've missed you
in my way . . . This morning? No . . . house cleaning
and all that and Mama hates it if I let people come
over when the house is like this . . . You have? Well,
that's different . . . What is it Oh, what the hell,
come on over . . . Right, see you then. Arrividerci.
(She hangs up)
MAMA (Who has listened vigorously, as is her habit)
Who is that you inviting over here with this house
looking like this? You ain't got the pride you was born
with!
BENEATHA Asagai doesn't care how houses look, Mama
he's an intellectual.
MAMA Who?
BENEATHA Asagai Joseph Asagai. He's an African boy
I met on campus. He's been studying in Canada all
summer.
MAMA What's his name?
BENEATHA Asagai, Joseph. Ah-sah-guy . . . He's from
Nigeria.
MAMA Oh, that's the little country that was founded by
slaves way back . , .
BENEATHA No, Mama that* s Liberia.
MAMA I don't think I never met no African before.
BENEATHA Well, do me a favor and don't ask him a
whole lot of ignorant questions about Africans. I mean,
do they wear clothes and all that
MAMA Well, now, I guess if you think we so ignorant
'round here maybe you shouldn't bring your friends
here
BENEATHA It's just that people ask such crazy things.
All anyone seems to know about when it comes to
Africa is Tarzan
MAMA (Indignantly) Why should I know anything about
Africa?
BENEATHA Why do you give money at church for the
missionary work?
MAMA Well, that's to help save people.
BENEATHA You mean save them from heathenism
MAMA (Innocently) Yes.
BENEATHA I'm afraid they need more salvation from the
British and the French.
(RUTH comes in forlornly and pulls off her coat
with dejection. They both turn to look at her)
RUTH (Dispiritedly) Well, I guess from all the happy
f aces everybody knows.
BENEATHA You pregnant?
MAMA Lord have mercy, I sure hope it's a little old girl.
Travis ought to have a sister.
(BENEATHA and RUTH give her a hopeless look for
this grandmotherly enthusiasm)
BENEATHA How far along are you?
RUTH Two months.
BENEATHA Did you mean to? I mean did you plan it or
was it an accident?
MAMA What do you know about planning or not plan-
ning?
BENEATHA Oh, Mama.
RUTH ( Wearily) She's twenty years old, Lena.
BENEATHA Did you plan it, Ruth?
RUTH Mind your own business.
BENEATHA It is my business where is he going to live,
on the roof? (There is silence following the remark as
the three women react to the sense of it) Gee I
didn't mean that, Ruth, honest. Gee, I don't feel like
that at all. I I think it is wonderful.
RUTH (Dully) Wonderful.
BENEATHA Yes really.
MAMA (Looking at RUTH, worried) Doctor say every-
thing going to be all right?
RUTH (Far away) Yes she says everything is going to
be fine . . .
MAMA (Immediately suspicious) "She" What doctor
you went to?
(RUTH folds over, near hysteria)
MAMA (Worriedly hovering over RUTH) Ruth honey
what's the matter with you you sick?
(RUTH has her fists clenched on her thighs and is
fighting hard to suppress a scream that seems to
be rising in her)
BENEATHA What's the matter with her, Mama?
MAMA (Working her fingers in RUTH'S shoulders to relax
her) She be all right. Women gets right depressed
sometimes when they get her way. (Speaking softly,
expertly, rapidly) Now you just relax. That's right . . .
just lean back, don't think 'bout nothing at all ...
nothing at all
RUTH I'm all right . . .
(The glassy-eyed look melts and then she col-
lapses into a fit of heavy sobbing. The bell rings)
BENEATHA Oh, my God that must be Asagai.
MAMA (To RUTH) Come on now, honey. You need to
lie down and rest awhile . . . then have some nice hot
food.
(They exit, RUTH'S weight on her mother-in-law.
BENEATHA, herself profoundly disturbed, opens
the door to admit a rather dramatic-looking young
man with a large package)
ASAGAI Hello, Alaiyo
BENEATHA (Holding the door open and regarding him
with pleasure) Hello . . . (Long pause) Well come
in. And please excuse everything. My mother was very
upset about my letting anyone come here with the
place like this.
ASAGAI' (Coming into the room) You look disturbed
too ... Is something wrong?
BENEATHA (Still at the door, absently) Yes . . . we've
all got acute ghetto-itus. (She smiles and comes toward
him, finding a cigarette and sitting) So sit down!
No! Wait! (She whips the spray gun off sofa where she
had left it and puts the cushions back. At last perches
on arm of sofa. He sits) So, how was Canada?
ASAGAI (A sophisticate} Canadian.
BENEATHA (Looking at him) Asagai, I'm very glad you
are back.
ASAGAI (Looking back at her in turn) Are you really?
BENEATHA Yes very.
ASAGAI Why? you were quite glad when I went .away.
What happened?
BENEATHA You went away.
ASAGAI Ahhhhhhhh.
BENEATHA Before you wanted to be so serious before
there was time.
ASAGAI How much time must there be before one knows
what one feels?
BENEATHA (Stalling this particular conversation. Her hands
pressed together, in a deliberately childish gesture)
What did you bring me?
ASAGAI (Handing her the package) Open it and see.
BENEATHA (Eagerly opening the package and drawing
out some records and the colorful robes of a Nigerian
woman) Oh, Asagai! . . . You got them for me! . . .
How beautiful . . . and the records too! (She lifts out
the robes and runs to the mirror with them and holds
the drapery up in front of herself)
ASAGAI (Coming to her at the mirror) I shall have to
teach you how to drape it properly. (He flings the
material about her for the moment and stands back to
look at her) Ah Oh-pay-gay~day, oh-gbah-mu-shay.
(A Yoruba exclamation for admiration) You wear it
well . . . very well . . . mutilated hair and all.
BENEATHA (Turning suddenly) My hair what's wrong
with my hair?
ASAGAI (Shrugging) Were you born with it like that?
BENEATHA (Reaching up to touch it) No ... of course
not.
(She looks back to the mirror, disturbed)
ASAGAI (Smiling) How then?
BENEATHA You know perfectly well how ... as crinkly
as yours . . . that's how.
ASAGAI And it is ugly to you that way?
BENEATHA (Quickly) Oh, no not ugly . . . (More
slowly, apologetically) But it's so hard to manage
when it's, well raw.
ASAGAI And so to accommodate that you mutilate it
every week?
BENEATHA It's not mutilation!
ASAGAI (Laughing aloud at her seriousness) Oh ...
please! I am only teasing you because you are so very
serious about these things. (He stands back from her
and folds his arms across his chest as he watches her
pulling at her hair and frowning in the minor) Do you
remember the first time you met me at school? . . . (He
laughs) You came up to .me and you said and I
thought you were the most serious little thing I had
ever seen you said: (He imitates her) "Mr. Asagai I
want very much to talk with you. About Africa. You
see, Mr. Asagai, I am looking for my identity! 9 '
(He laughs)
BENEATHA (Turning to him, not laughing) Yes
(Her face is quizzical, profoundly disturbed)
ASAGAI (Still teasing and reaching out and taking her face
in his hands and turning her profile to him) Well . . .
it is true that this is not so much a profile of a Holly-
wood queen as perhaps a queen of the Nile (A mock
dismissal of the importance of the question) But what
does it matter? Assimilationism is so popular in your
country.
BENEATHA (Wheeling, passionately, sharply) I am not
an assimilationist!
ASAGAI (The protest hangs in the room for a moment and
ASAGAI studies her, his laughter fading) Such a seri-
ous one, (There is a pause) So you like the robes?
You must take excellent care of them they are from
my sister's personal wardrobe.
BENEATHA (With incredulity) You you sent all the
way home for me?
ASAGAI (With charm) For you I would do much more
. . . Well, that is what I came for. I must go.
BENEATHA Will you call me Monday?
ASAGAI Yes . . . We have a great deal to talk about. I
mean about identity and time and all that.
BENEATHA Time?
ASAGAI Yes. About how much time one needs to know
what one feels.
BENEATHA You see! You never understood that there is
more than one kind of feeling which can exist between
a man and a woman or, at least, there should be.
ASAGAI (Shaking his head negatively but gently) No.
Between a man and a woman there need be only one
kind of feeling. I have that for you . . . Now even . . .
right this moment ...
BENEATHA I know and by itself it won't do. I can
find that anywhere.
ASAGAI For a woman it should be enough.
BENEATHA I know because that's what it says in all the
novels that men write. But it isn't. Go ahead and
laugh but I'm not interested in being someone's little
episode in America or (With feminine vengeance)
one of them! (ASAGAI has burst into laughter again)
That's funny as hell, huh!
ASAGAI It's just that every American girl I have known
has said that to me. White black in this you are all
the same. And the same speech, too!
BENEATHA (Angrily) Yuk, yuk, yuk!
ASAGAI It's how you can be sure that the world's most
liberated women are not liberated at all. You all talk
about it too much!
(MAMA enters and is immediately all social charm
because of the presence of a guest)
BENEATHA Oh Mama this is Mr. Asagai.
MAMA How do you do?
ASAGAI (Total politeness to an elder) How do you do,
Mrs. Younger. Please forgive me for coming at such
an outrageous hour on a Saturday.
MAMA Well, you are quite welcome. I just hope you
understand that our house don't always look like this.
(Chatterish) You must come again. I would love to
here all about (Not sure of the name) your country.
I think it's so sad the way our American Negroes don't
know nothing about Africa 'cept Tarzan and all that.
And all that money they pour into these churches when
they ought to be helping you people over there drive out
them French and Englishmen done taken away your
land.
(The mother flashes a slightly superior look at
her daughter upon completion of the recitation)
ASAGAI (Taken aback by this sudden and acutely unre-
lated expression of sympathy) Yes ... yes ...
MAMA (Smiling at him suddenly and relaxing and look-
ing him over) How many miles is it from here to
where you come from?
ASAGAI Many thousands.
MAMA (Looking at him as she would WALTER) I bet
you don't half look after yourself, being away from
your mama either. I spec you better come 'round here
from time to time to get yourself some decent home-
cooked meals . . .
ASAGAI (Moved) Thank you. Thank you very much.
(They are all quiet, then ) Well ... I must go. I
will call you Monday, Alaiyo.
MAMA What's that he call you?
ASAGAI Oh "Alaiyo." I hope you don't mind. It is
what you would call a nickname, I think. It is a Yoruba
word. I am a Yoruba.
MAMA (Looking at BENEATHA) I I thought he was
from (Uncertain)
ASAGAI (Understanding) Nigeria is my country. Yoruba
is my tribal origin
BENEATHA You didn't tell us what Alaiyo means . . .
for all I know, you might be calling me Little Idiot or
something . . .
ASAGAI Well . . . let me see ... I do not know how
just to explain it ... The sense of a thing can be so
different when it changes languages.
BENEATHA You're evading.
ASAGAI No really it is difficult . . . (Thinking) It means
... it means One for Whom Bread Food Is Not
Enough. {He looks at her) Is that all right?
BENEATHA ( Understanding, softly) Thank you.
MAMA (Looking from one to the other and not under-
standing any of it) Well , . . that's nice . . . You must
come see us again Mr.
ASAGAI Ah-sah-guy * * .
MAMA Yes . . . Do come again.
ASAGAI Good-bye,
(He exits)
MAMA (After him) Lord, that's a pretty thing just went
out here! (Insinuatingly, to her daughter) Yes, I guess
I see why we done commence to get so interested in
Africa 'round here. Missionaries my aunt Jenny!
(She exits)
BENEATHA Oh, Mama! . . .
(She picks up the Nigerian dress and holds it up
to her in front of the mirror again. She sets the
headdress on haphazardly and then notices her
hair again and clutches at it and then replaces the
headdress and frowns at herself. Then she starts
to wriggle in front of the mirror as she thinks a
Nigerian woman might. TRAVIS enters and stands
regarding her)
TRAVIS What's the matter, girl, you cracking up?
BENEATHA Shut Up.
(She pulls the headdress off and looks at herself
in the mirror and clutches at her hair again and
squinches her eyes as if trying to imagine some-
thing. Then, suddenly, she gets her raincoat and
kerchief and hurriedly prepares for going out)
MAMA (Coming back into the room) She's resting now.
Travis, baby, run next door and ask Miss Johnson to
please let me have a little kitchen cleanser. This here
can is empty as Jacob's kettle.
TRAVIS I just came in.
MAMA Do as you told. (He exits and she looks at her
daughter) Where you going?
BENEATHA (Halting at the door) To become a queen of
the Nile!
(She exits in a breathless blaze of glory. RUTH ap-
pears in the bedroom doorway)
MAMA Who told you to get up?
RUTH Ain't nothing wrong with me to be lying in no
bed for. Where did Bennie go?
MAMA (Drumming her fingers) Far as I could make
out to Egypt. (RUTH just looks at her) What time is
it getting to?
RUTH Ten twenty. And the mailman going to ring that
bell this morning just like he done every morning for
the last umpteen years.
(TRAVIS comes in with the cleanser can)
TRAVIS She say to tell you that she don't have much.
MAMA (Angrily) Lord, some people I could name sure
is tight-fisted! (Directing her grandson) Mark two cans
of cleanser down on the list there. If she that hard up
for kitchen cleanser, I sure don't want to forget to get
her none!
RUTH Lena maybe the woman is just short on cleans-
er
MAMA (Not listening) Much baking powder as she
done borrowed from me all these years, she could of
done gone into the baking business!
(The bell sounds suddenly and sharply and all
three are stunned serious and silent mid-speech.
In spite of all the other conversations and dis-
tractions of the morning, this is what they have
been waiting for, even TRAVIS, who looks help-
lessly from his mother to his grandmother. RUTH
is the first to come to life again)
RUTH (To TRAVIS) Get down them steps, boy!
(TRAVIS snaps to life and flies out to get the mail)
MAMA (Her eyes wide, her hand to her breast) You
mean it done really come?
RUTH (Excited) Oh, Miss Lena!
MAMA (Collecting herself) Well ... I don't know what
we all so excited about 'round here for. We known it
was coming for months.
RUTH That's a whole lot different from having it come
and being able to hold it in your hands ... a piece of
paper worth ten thousand dollars . . . (TRAVIS bursts
back into the room. He holds the envelope high above
his head, like a little dancer, his face is radiant and he
is breathless. He moves to his grandmother with sud-
den slow ceremony and puts the envelope into her
hands. She accepts it, and then merely holds it and
looks at it) Come on! Open it ... Lord have mercy,
I wish Walter Lee was here!
TRAVIS Open it, Grandmama!
MAMA (Staring at it) Now you all be quiet. It's just a
check.
RUTH Open it ...
MAMA (Still staring at it) Now don't act silly ... We
ain't never been no people to act silly 'bout no money
RUTH (Swiftly) We ain't never had none before OPEN
IT!
(MAMA finally makes a good strong tear and pulls
out the thin blue slice of paper and inspects it
closely. The boy and his mother study it raptly
over MAMA'S shoulders)
MAMA Travis! (She is counting off with doubt) Is that
the right number of zeros.
TRAVIS Yes'm . . . ten thousand dollars. Gaalee, Grand-
mama, you rich.
MAMA (She holds the check away from her, still looking
at it. Slowly her face sobers into a mask of unhappi-
ness) Ten thousand dollars. (She hands it to RUTH)
Put it away somewhere, Ruth. (She does not look at
RUTH; her eyes seem to be seeing something some-
where very far off) Ten thousand dollars they give
you. Ten thousand dollars,
TRAVIS (To his mother, sincerely) What's the matter
with Grandmama don't she want to be rich?
RUTH (Distractedly) You go on out and play now,
baby. (TRAVIS exits. MAMA starts wiping dishes absent-
ly, humming intently to herself. RUTH turns to her, with
kind exasperation) You've gone and got yourself upset.
MAMA (Not looking at her) I spec if it wasn't for you
all ... I would just put that money away or give it to
the church or something.
RUTH Now what kind of talk is that. Mr. Younger
would just be plain mad if he could hear you talking
foolish like that.
MAMA (Stopping and staring off) Yes . . . he sure
would. (Sighing) We got enough to do with that
money, all right. (She halts then, and turns and looks
at her daughter-in-law hard; RUTH avoids her eyes and
MAMA wipes her hands with finality and starts to speak
firmly to RUTH) Where did you go today, girl?
RUTH To the doctor.
MAMA (Impatiently) Now, Ruth , . . you know better
than that. Old Doctor Jones is strange enough in his
way but there ain't nothing 'bout him make somebody
slip and call him "she" like you done this morning.
RUTH Well, that's what happened my tongue slipped.
MAMA You went to see that woman, didn't you?
RUTH (Defensively, giving herself away) What woman
you talking about?
MAMA (Angrily ) That woman who
(WALTER enters in great excitement)
WALTER Did it come?
MAMA (Quietly) Can't you give people a Christian
greeting before you start asking about money?
WALTER (To RUTH) Did it come? (RUTH unfolds the
check and lays it quietly before him, watching him in-
tently with thoughts of her own. WALTER sits down
and grasps it close and counts off the zeros) Ten thou-
sand dollars (He turns suddenly, frantically to his
mother and draws some papers out of his breast pock-
et) Mama look. Old Willy Harris put everything on
paper
MAMA Son I think you ought to talk to your wife . . .
I'll go on out and leave you alone if you want
WALTER I can talk to her later Mama, look
MAMA Son
WALTER WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE LISTEN TO
ME TODAY!
MAMA (Quietly) I don't 'low no yellin' in this house,
Walter Lee, and you know it (WALTER stares at them
in frustration and starts to speak several times) And
there ain't going to be no investing in no liquor stores.
WALTER But, Mama, you ain't even looked at it.
MAMA I don't aim to have to speak on that again.
(A long pause)
WALTER You ain't looked at it and you don't aim to have
to speak on that again? You ain't even looked at it and
you have decided (Crumpling his papers) Well, you
tell that to my boy tonight when you put him to sleep
on the living-room couch . . . (Turning to MAMA and
speaking directly to her) Yeah and tell it to my wife,
Mama, tomorrow when she has to go out of here to
look after somebody else's kids. And tell it to me,
Mama, every time we need a new pair of curtains and I
have to watch you go out and work in somebody's
kitchen. Yeah, you tell me then!
(WALTER starts out)
RUTH Where you going?
WALTER I'm going out!
RUTH Where?
WALTER Just out of this house somewhere
RUTH (Getting her coat) I'll come too.
WALTER I don't want you to come!
RUTH I got something to talk to you about, Walter.
WALTER That's too bad.
MAMA (Still quietly) Walter Lee (She waits and he
finally turns and looks at her) Sit down.
WALTER I'm a grown man, Mama.
MAMA Ain't nobody said you wasn't grown. But you
still in my house and my presence. And as long as you
are you'll talk to your wife civil. Now sit down.
RUTH (Suddenly) Oh, let him go on out and drink him-
self to death! He makes me sick to my stomach! (She
flings her coat against him and exits to bedroom)
WALTER (Violently flinging the coat after her) And you
turn mine too, baby! (The door slams behind her) That
was my biggest mistake
MAMA (Still quietly) Walter, what is the matter with
you?
WALTER Matter with me? Ain't nothing the matter with
me!
MAMA Yes there is. Something eating you up like a
crazy man. Something more than me not giving you
this money. The past few years I been watching it
happen to you. You get all nervous acting and kind
of wild in the eyes (WALTER jumps up impatiently
at her words) I said sit there now, I'm talking to you!
WALTER Mama I don't need no nagging at me today.
MAMA Seem like you getting to a place where you al-
ways tied up in some kind of knot about something.
But if anybody ask you 'bout it you just yell at 'em
and bust out the house and go out and drink some-
wheres. Walter Lee, people can't live with that. Ruth's
a good, patient girl in her way but you getting to be
too much. Boy, don't make the mistake of driving that
girl away from you.
WALTER Why what she do for me?
MAMA She loves you.
WALTER Mama I'm going out. I want to go off some-
where and be by myself for a while.
MAMA I'm sorry 'bout your liquor store, son. It just
wasn't the thing for us to do. That's what I want to
tell you about
WALTER I got to go out, Mama
{He rises)
MAMA It's dangerous, son.
WALTER What's dangerous?
MAMA When a man goes outside his home to look for
peace.
WALTER (Beseechingly) Then why can't there never be
no peace in this house then?
MAMA You done found it in some other house?
WALTER No there ain't no woman! Why do women
always think there's a woman somewhere when a man
gets restless. (Picks up the check) Do you know what
this money means to me? Do you know what this money
can do for us? (Puts it back) Mama Mama I want
so many things
MAMA Yes, son
WALTER I want so many things that they are driving me
kind of crazy . . . Mama look at me.
MAMA I'm looking at you. You 1 a good-looking boy.
You got a job, a nice wife, a fine boy and
WALTER A job. (Looks at her) Mama, a job? I open
and close car doors all day long. I drive a man around
in his limousine and I say, "Yes, sir; no, sir; very
good, sir; shall I take the Drive, sir?" Mama, that ain't
no kind of job . . . that ain't nothing at all. (Very
quietly) Mama, I don't know if I can make you under-
stand.
MAMA Understand what, baby?
WALTER (Quietly) Sometimes it's like I can see the fu-
ture stretched out in front of me just plain as day.
The future, Mama. Hanging over there at the edge of
my days. Just waiting for me a big, looming blank
space full of nothing. Just waiting for me. But it don't
have to be. (Pause. Kneeling beside her chair) Mama
sometimes when I'm downtown and I pass them cool,
quiet-looking restaurants where them white boys are
sitting back and talking 'bout things . . . sitting there
turning deals worth millions of dollars . . . sometimes I
see guys don't look much older than me
MAMA Son how come you talk so much *bout money?
WALTER (With immense passion) Because it is life,
Mama!
MAMA (Quietly) Oh (Very quietly) So now it's life.
Money is life. Once upon a time freedom used to be
life now it's money. I guess the world really do
change . . .
WALTER No it was always money, Mama. We just
didn't know about it.
MAMA No ... something has changed. (She looks at
him) You something new, boy. In my time we was
worried about not being lynched and getting to the
North if we could and how to stay alive and still have
a pinch of dignity too . . . Now here come you and
Beneatha talking 'bout things we ain't never even
thought about hardly, me and your daddy. You ain't
satisfied or proud of nothing we done. I mean that you
had a home; that we kept you out of trouble till you
was grown; that you don't have to ride to work on the
back of nobody's streetcar You my children but
how different we done become.
WALTER (A long beat. He pats her hand and gets up)
You just don't understand, Mama, you just don't under-
stand.
MAMA Son do you know your wife is expecting an-
other baby? (WALTER stands, stunned, and absorbs
what his mother has said) That's what she wanted to
talk to you about. (WALTER sinks down into a chair)
This ain't for me to be telling but you ought to know.
(She waits) I think Ruth is thinking 'bout getting rid
of that child.
WALTER (Slowly understanding) No no Ruth
wouldn't do that.
MAMA When the world gets ugly enough a woman
will do anything for her family. The part that's already
living.
WALTER You don't know Ruth, Mama, if you think she
would do that,
(RUTH opens the bedroom door and stands there
a little limp)
RUTH (Beaten) Yes I would too, Walter. (Pause) I
gave her a five-dollar down payment.
(There is total silence as the man stares at his
wife and the mother stares at her son)
MAMA (Presently) Well (Tightly) Well son, I'm
waiting to hear you say something . . . (She waits) I'm
waiting to hear how you be your father's son. Be the
man he was . . . (Pause. The silence shouts) Your wife
say she going to destroy your child. And I'm waiting to
hear you talk like him and say we a people who give
children life, not who destroys them (She rises) I'm
waiting to see you stand up and look like your daddy
and say we done give up one baby to poverty and that
we ain't going to give up nary another one . . . I'm
waiting.
WALTER Ruth (He can say nothing)
MAMA If you a son of mine, tell her! (WALTER picks up
his keys and his coat and walks out. She continues, bit-
terly) You . . . you are a disgrace to your father's
memory. Somebody get me my hat!
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