Ruth Younger Character Analysis

Introduction and Role in the Text

Ruth Younger is Walter Lee Younger’s wife and Travis’s mother in Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun. She represents the struggles of a working-class Black woman in 1950s America. Ruth often acts as a grounding force within the Younger family.

Her character highlights the domestic burdens and emotional toll experienced by many women of her era. She grapples with personal desires alongside family responsibilities. Ruth’s journey illuminates themes of hope, despair, and resilience within the play.

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Character Traits with Supporting Evidence

Resilient and Practical

Ruth demonstrates remarkable resilience throughout the play. She endures the cramped living conditions and financial strain with quiet determination. Her practicality is evident in her daily routines and her concern for the family’s basic needs.

For example, she diligently prepares breakfast each morning despite the tiny apartment. This routine highlights her commitment to maintaining some semblance of order. She prioritises stability over Walter’s more ambitious, often risky, dreams.

Long-Suffering and Weary

Initially, Ruth appears worn down by her circumstances. She is described as