A Raisin in the Sun Page #3

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lose Big Walter too.

That man grieved himself so.

Honey, he was one man

to love his children.

Ain't nothing can tear at you

like losing your baby.

I think that's why that man finally

worked himself to death.

Like he was fighting his own war...

...with this world that took

his baby from him.

Crazy about his children.

God knows there was plenty

wrong with Walter Younger.

Mean.

Hardheaded.

Kind of wild with women.

Plenty wrong with him.

But he sure loved his children.

Always wanting them

to have something...

...and to be something.

I guess that's where Brother

gets all them notions from.

Big Walter used to say sometimes,

and he'd get right wet in the eyes...

...and lean his head back

with water in his eyes...

...and he'd say:

"Seem like God didn't see fit to give

the black man nothing but dreams.

But he did give us children

to make them dreams seem worthwhile."

He could talk like that,

don't you know?

He sure could.

He was a good man, Mr. Younger.

Hello, everybody.

Did you decide to come home?

I thought your last Friday's

class was at 3:
30.

It is, but I started

my guitar lessons today.

Your what kind of lessons?

Guitar.

Oh, Father!

How come you done took it in your head

to learn to play the guitar?

I just want to, that's all.

Lord have mercy, child!

Don't you know what to do with yourself?

How long will it be

before you get tired of this...

...like you got tired of

that acting group last year?

And what was it before that?

The horseback-riding club.

For which she bought

that $55 riding outfit.

It's been in the closet ever since.

Why you got to flit so

from one thing to another?

You never done nothing with

that camera equipment.

I don't flit. I experiment with

different forms of expression.

Like riding a horse?

People have to express themselves

in one way or another.

What is it that you want to express?

Me!

Don't worry. I don't expect you

to understand, for God's sakes!

Just listen to her!

Oh, God!

If you use the Lord's name

just one more time...

Just fresh as salt, this girl!

- Where you going?

- I got a date.

George Murchison again.

Getting a little sweet on him.

This child ain't sweet on

nobody but herself.

Express herself.

I like George all right.

Enough to go out with and stuff.

- What does "and stuff" mean?

- Mind your own business.

Now stop picking on her now.

What does it mean?

I just mean that I could never really

be serious about George.

He's too shallow.

Shallow? What do you mean?

- He's rich.

- I know he's rich.

He knows he's rich too.

Besides, his mother wouldn't

want me to marry him.

Any more than I'd ever want to.

You mustn't dislike folks

because they're well-off.

Don't worry, she'll get over this.

That's her youth talking.

What are you talking about,

"Get over it"?

Hi.

I'm going to be a doctor.

I'm not even worried

about who I'm going to marry yet.

If I ever get married.

- Lf?

- Lf?

I probably will.

But first I'm going to be a doctor.

Now George, for one,

thinks that's pretty funny.

I couldn't be bothered with that.

I'm going to be a doctor.

And everybody here

better understand that.

Of course, you'll be a doctor,

God willing.

God hasn't got a thing to do with it.

- That just wasn't necessary.

- Neither is God.

I get sick of hearing about God

all the time.

I mean it.

I'm just tired of hearing about God

all the time.

What has He got to do with anything?

Does He pay tuition?

You about to get your

fresh little jaw slapped.

That's what she needs.

Why can't I say

what I want to say...

...like everybody else?

Because it's not nice

to talk like that.

You wasn't raised that way.

Me and your daddy got you and

Brother to church every Sunday.

You don't understand.

It's all a matter of ideas.

And God is just one idea

that I don't accept.

Now it's not important.

I'm not going to be immoral...

...or commit crimes

because I don't believe.

I don't even think about that.

I just get so tired of Him

getting the credit...

...for things the human race

achieves through its own effort.

Now, there simply is no God.

There's only man.

And it's he who makes miracles.

Now you say after me:

In my mother's house,

there is still God.

In my mother's house,

there is still God.

In my mother's house,

there's still God.

There's just some things we won't

have around here.

Not long as I'm still head

of this family.

Yes, ma'am.

I think she was sorry.

It frightens me, my children.

You got good children.

They just a little off sometimes.

There's something done come down

between them and me...

...that don't let us

understand each other.

One's almost lost his mind talking

about money all the time.

And the other talks about things

I can't seem to understand.

- What's changing them?

- You're taking it too serious.

You got strong-willed children...

...and it takes a strong woman like you

to keep them in hand.

They're spirited all right,

my children.

Got to admit they got spirit,

Bennie and Walter.

Kind of like this plant here

that ain't never had enough sunlight.

And look at it.

Lena, I...

What will you do about helping him?

You mean Walter's liquor store?

I'm worried for him.

But liquor, honey...

Like Walter Lee say...

...I expect people will

always be drinking some liquor.

That don't mean I got to be

the one to sell it.

It's getting close to the time

for me to meet my Maker.

And I don't want that on my ledger.

And we ain't business people,

just plain working folks.

Ain't nobody business people

till they go into business.

Walter Lee say...

...coloured people ain't going

to get ahead...

...till they take chances

on different things in this world.

Investments and things.

What's done got into you, girl?

Walter Lee done sold you on investing?

Something's happening

between me and Walter.

I don't know what it is,

but he needs something.

Something I can't give him anymore.

- He needs this chance.

- That don't make no difference.

I ain't going to be putting the memory

of my husband into no liquor.

There's nothing as dreary

as the view from this window...

...on a dreary evening, is there?

How come you ain't singing

this evening?

Sing that song, "No Ways Tired."

That song always

kind of lifts me up so.

Because here's one thing

you can believe:

People going to be drinking

themselves some booze...

...when they can't even make the rent.

Man, that's a fact.

That's strictly a fact.

That's why I say

now's the time to move.

If we're moving together,

we got to move now.

Bobo has his part of the money.

And it wasn't easy.

But man, I'm straight.

I'm real straight.

And I got mine.

We got a date to see the guy in

Springfield about the license Friday.

If you get up off your glute,

we got this thing made.

Everything's going to be cool.

All I need is another day

to swing the situation at home.

You know how it is.

I got three women at the barricades.

If there's anybody

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