Lesson 15: A Raisin in the Sun, Act II, Scene 1, Part 1

Use this quick discussion to reconnect students to Walter’s pressures before reading the new scene.

• Say: In Lessons 13 and 14, we shifted into argument writing and used Mama’s house decision as inspiration to argue a stance about how unfair housing policies and practices influence a family’s options. Today, we return to the play and look closely at a scene where Walter’s words, actions, and imagination start to pull in different directions.

Think-Pair-Share

Say these Directions: Think back to the end of Act I, when Mama bought the house. With your partner, discuss at least one pressure Walter already felt and how that pressure builds in the current scene. Partner A, share first for 30 seconds. Then switch.

Open your play to the start of Act II, Scene 1, and discuss the following question with a partner. After one to two minutes, be ready to share your ideas with the class.

• Ask: What pressure is Walter carrying into this scene, and why might it intensify after Mama’s decision?

  • Walter feels pressure about money, respect, and being seen as the provider. After Mama buys the house without following his plan, that pressure could build because he may feel ignored and even more desperate to prove himself.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Today, we will pay attention not only to what Walter says but also to what Hansberry shows us through stage directions.

Students use a key stage direction from today’s scene to infer the meaning of scrutinize, then verify their thinking with context and reference tools.

Context Clues

Say these Directions: Review the following stage direction from Act II, Scene 1, written to describe Walter’s actions:

“(He scrutinizes MURCHISON again, drinks his beer, squints his eyes and leans in close, confidential, man to man.)” (p. 84)

Then review Walter’s line that the stage direction applies to. Keeping p. 84 displayed, direct students to read the line beginning with “It’s hard to find a man” and ending with “you dig?”

“It’s hard to find a man on this whole Southside who understands my kind of thinking—you dig?” (p. 84)

• Say: Today, we are using context clues to unlock a word that helps us understand Walter’s behavior. When a writer uses a strong, precise word in a stage direction, that word is not just telling us what happens; it is shaping how we see the character.

Teach: Using Context Clues to Infer Meaning

• Ask: What context clues can you use to understand the meaning of scrutinizes?

Take notes on the context clues that students give, guiding them to focus on the words that provide the most information:

• squints his eyes

• leans in close

• confidential

• Say: Work in pairs to discuss and write a meaning of scrutinizes in your own words.

• Ask: Based on the context clues, what does scrutinize probably mean? Which clue helped you most?

  • Scrutinize probably means “to look at someone very closely and carefully.” The clue that helped me most was “squints his eyes,” because it shows that Walter is not just glancing at George—he is studying him.

• Ask: Why do you think that Hansberry chose this word instead of a phrase such as “looked at”?

  • A phrase like “looked at” doesn’t tell us how he is looking at Murchison. It’s important for our understanding of Walter’s mood, thoughts, and feelings to know that he is looking so closely.

• Say: Turn to your partner, and name one exact clue from the surrounding text that supports the meaning you inferred.

• Say: Now, check your inferred meaning using a dictionary or glossary.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Today, we will pay attention not only to what Walter says but also to what Hansberry shows us through stage directions.

Part A: Reading the Scene Aloud (RL.7.5) (14 minutes)

Assign student roles for dialogue. The teacher reads all stage directions so that students can hear how those directions shape tone and meaning.

Choral Reading

Say these Directions: We are going to read Act II, Scene 1, from the beginning through the section where Ruth turns to go out again. Remember that Murchison and George are the same character and that the scene includes foul language that is not to be read out loud.

• Ask: When Walter tries to impress George, what do the stage directions add to your understanding of Walter that the dialogue alone does not communicate?

  • The dialogue shows that Walter wants George to take him seriously, but the stage directions show how hard he is pushing. When Hansberry describes him squinting, leaning in close, and speaking “man to man” in that section with George (p. 84), it reveals that Walter’s confidence is an act and he is trying frantically to convince George that he is worthy of respect.

• Say: Keep that marked stage direction in mind. We are about to compare it with another moment that shows Walter very differently.

Part B: Reading Walter’s Inner World (RL.7.4, RL.7.5) (16 minutes)

Think-Pair-Share

Say these Directions: Review the following stage directions from Walter’s fantasy sequence.

Display p. 78, and direct students to read the stage direction beginning with “On the table, very far gone . . .” and ending with “. . . the hour to march has come.”

Then display p. 79, and direct students to read the stage direction beginning with “And now the lighting shifts subtly . . .” and ending with “. . . has assumed an unexpected majesty.”

“(On the table, very far gone, his eyes pure glass sheets. He sees what we cannot, that he is the leader of his people, a great chief, a descendant of Chaka, and that the hour to march has come)” (p. 78)

“(And now the lighting shifts subtly to suggest the world of WALTER’S imagination, and the mood shifts from pure comedy. It is the inner WALTER speaking: the Southside chauffeur has assumed an unexpected majesty)” p.79

Teach: Analyzing Stage Directions as Author Choices

• Say: When I read these directions, I notice Hansberry is showing the audience a version of Walter that the other characters do not fully see. Phrases like “leader of his people” and “unexpected majesty” reveal that Walter imagines himself as powerful, important, and worthy of honor. If Walter said all of this out loud, it would sound very different and might even seem unrealistic.

• Say: By placing it in stage directions, Hansberry lets us see both Walter’s dream and the painful gap between that dream and his everyday life as a Southside chauffeur.

• Ask: What do these stage directions reveal about Walter’s inner life?

  • These stage directions reveal that Walter is imagining himself as someone powerful and respected, not small or ignored. The phrases “leader of his people” and “unexpected majesty” show that inside his mind, he might see a version of himself with dignity and importance that his daily life does not give him.

• Ask: Why might Hansberry choose stage directions instead of dialogue to convey these ideas?

  • Hansberry may choose stage directions because they allow the audience to feel the mix of hope and sadness that Walter is feeling. The dialogue alone sounds overexcited and playful, but the description of his eyes shows that he is dreaming, not just acting, and the lighting helps the reader or audience recognize the deeper emotional connection.

Say these Directions: Set up a T-chart with the column titles “Fantasy” and “Talking with Murchison.” Record your observations of Walter in these two sets of circumstances. Complete the T-Chart, and be prepared to share your ideas with the class.

• Ask: What do these two images of Walter teach the reader or audience?

  • We can understand him better because of these moments. He is not as confident as he wants people to think, but inside himself, he imagines being powerful and in a leadership position. Together, these two moments tell us how important it is for Walter to rise above the way he currently sees his life. In both situations, he is projecting the powerful self he would like to find.

Provide students with a confidence continuum (i.e., 1–5). As needed, model how to demonstrate a level of confidence using the continuum.

Guide students in using text evidence to analyze Walter’s internal conflict and behavior.

Quick Write

Say these Directions: Write a short response to the prompt, using specific evidence from the text to support your thinking. If you’d like, use the optional sentence starter to frame your response.

Optional Sentence Starter:

Hansberry suggests that Walter is ___ because the stage direction ___ shows ___.

• Ask: What seems to be happening to Walter in this scene, and what evidence supports your thinking?

  • Walter seems to be pulled between performance, hope, and emotional unraveling. In the section where he leans toward George and scrutinizes him (p. 84), he acts as if he can force George to respect him, which shows how badly he wants to be seen as important. Earlier, the fantasy stage directions describe him as a “leader” with “unexpected majesty” (pp. 78–79), which reveals that inside, he is imagining a powerful version of himself that his real life does not allow. Together, these details suggest Walter is trying hard to escape feeling small and powerless.

Instruct students to respond to the following prompts:

• What do you think is happening to Walter?

• What is your evidence? Use at least two details from Act II, Scene 1, including one stage direction.