A Raisin in the Sun Page #2

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I want you to stop acting

holy around here!

We've made sacrifices. It's time

you do something for this family.

- Don't drag me in it.

- You are in it.

You work in somebody's kitchen

to put clothes on her back.

That's not fair.

Damn it! Ain't nobody

asking her to say:

"Thank you, Ruth, Brother and Mama.

And Travis, for wearing

the same shoes for two semesters."

I do, all right?

Thank everybody.

And forgive me

for wanting to be anything.

Forgive me, forgive me,

forgive me!

Your mama'll hear you.

Who in the hell told you

you had to be a doctor?

You're so interested in sick people,

go be a nurse, like other women.

Or get married and shut up.

So you finally got it said.

Took you three years,

but you finally got it said.

Give up and leave me alone.

It's Mama's money.

He was my father too.

So? He was mine too.

And Travis' grandfather.

But the insurance money

belongs to Mama.

Picking on me won't make her give it

to you to invest in liquor stores.

God bless Mama for that.

- You always say that.

- Honey, please.

Go to work.

Nobody in this house

is ever going to understand me.

Because you're a nut.

Who's a nut?

You. You're a nut.

Thee is mad, boy.

The world's most backward

nation of women. And that is a fact.

Then there's those

prophets who would...

...lead us out of the wilderness

into the swamps!

Who in the world is slamming doors

at this hour?

That was Walter Lee.

He and Bennie was at it again.

My children and their tempers.

Lord, if this little plant

don't start...

...getting more sun, it ain't

never going to see spring again.

What's the matter with you?

You look peaked.

It's too drafty to be half-dressed.

- Where's your robe?

- The cleaners.

Go get mine and put it on.

I'm not cold.

Honest.

- I know, but you're so thin.

- I'm not cold.

Lord have mercy!

Look at that poor bed.

Bless his heart, he sure tries,

don't he?

He don't half try at all because

he knows you'll fix everything.

A little boy ain't supposed

to know nothing about housekeeping.

My baby, that's what he is.

Now that you'll be home all the time,

that boy'll really be spoiled.

My first day home.

I'm going to sit this body down

and let it rest.

Just let it rest

from here on in.

And...

...thank my husband's sweet memory

for making it all possible.

You know, Big Walter always hated

the idea of being a servant.

Always says, man's hands wasn't meant

to carry nobody's slop jars...

...or make their beds.

Always used to say they was...

...meant to turn the earth with

or make things.

That husband of yours?

He's just like him.

Just like him.

Walter...

...bring the car

around front, please.

- Hi.

- Hi there, Ruth.

No, no, child. I can manage.

What's the matter with you?

A little tired, I guess.

I've been ironing since this morning.

Leave some for me.

I'll get to them tonight.

You think that's why

we want you home?

So you can do

everybody else's work now?

A little ironing

ain't never hurt nobody.

The way you look, you need to be

sitting down immediately.

You know something?

I bet you got a touch

of that virus been going around.

If you don't look better tomorrow,

stay home from work.

I can't stay home. She's doing

her Saturday night entertaining.

She'd have a fit

if I don't show up.

Let her have it. I'll just call up

and say you got the flu.

- Why the flu?

- Because it sounds respectable.

Something white folks get too.

They know about the flu.

Otherwise, they'll think you

been cut up or something.

- Where's my baby?

- In there doing his homework.

Tomorrow is Saturday.

- The child don't need...

- Every Sunday...

...he's too tired, or he forgot

what the teacher told him.

Awful hot to be cooped up

with books.

- Lena.

- I ain't meddling.

I just noticed his eyes been looking

sort of strained lately.

A child ought to have plenty of rest

and plenty of sunshine.

I take care of my son.

I ain't meddling.

- When will you let him out?

- In 15 minutes.

Is that all right?

Darling, I ain't meddling.

Why don't you make it 10?

He sure loves

to play that baseball.

Wonder why Miss Beneatha

is so late?

It's getting close to 5.

I don't believe this plant's had

more than a speck of sunlight...

...all day.

I'm tired.

I had to go way out to that market

again to get decent groceries.

Ain't you never going to learn to do

your shopping in the supermarket?

What you think they built them for?

Going way out there.

I can't stand them buggies

rolling around.

And belts moving.

And the meat all wrapped up

like it was candy.

Them places frighten me.

You look like you could

fall over right there.

I don't see you going out

to do nobody's work tomorrow.

I got to go.

We need the money.

Child, we got a big old check

coming tomorrow.

Now, that's your money.

It ain't got nothing

to do with me.

We all feel like that.

Walter, Bennie, me...

...even Travis.

Ten thousand dollars.

Sure is wonderful.

Ten thousand dollars.

You know what you should do,

Miss Lena?

You should take a trip somewhere.

To Europe or South America someplace.

Just pack up and leave.

Go on away.

Enjoy yourself some.

Forget about the family.

Have yourself a ball

for once in your life.

What would I look like wandering

all over Europe by myself?

Shoot! These here rich white women

do it all the time.

They pack their suitcases...

...and pile on a steamship,

and swoosh! They gone, child.

Something always told me I wasn't

no rich white woman.

What are you going to do

with it then?

Well, I...

...ain't rightly decided.

Some of it's got to be put away

for Beneatha's medical schooling.

And ain't nothing going to touch

that part of it. Not nothing.

Then I...

...been thinking,

just thinking, mind you...

...that we could meet the notes

on a two-story somewhere.

With a back yard

where Travis could play.

If we used part of the money

for a down payment...

...and everybody pitch in...

...I could take on a little work again

a few days a week.

Lord knows we put enough rent

into this rattrap...

...to pay for four houses by now.

Rattrap?

Well, I...

...expect that's about all it is.

But I remember the first day

me and Big Walter moved in here.

We hadn't been married

but two weeks.

And we wasn't planning

on living here more than a year.

We was going to set away

a little by little...

...and buy us a little old

two-story out in Morgan Park.

We'd even picked out the house.

Looks right dumpy today.

But, child, you should have known

all them dreams I had...

...about buying me that house

and then fixing it up.

And make me a little garden

out in back.

But none of it happened.

Big Walter used to

come in some nights.

And he'd slump down there

on that big couch.

And he'd look at that rug

and he'd look at me.

He'd look at that rug

and he'd look back up at me.

And I knew he was down then.

Really down.

When we lost that baby...

...I thought we was going to

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