RIS Prewriting

Today you will begin writing your final essay for Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. You received your page assignments yesterday and should have reread the pages. You will need to refer to these pages repeatedly as you write the essay.

The parts of the writing process are:

Prewriting—this means you are taking notes, jotting down phrases in your own words, selecting quotes, mapping and/or webbing. You are not writing in full sentences but you are writing down questions you have about your pages.

Drafting—this is the next step after prewriting. You take your notes and put them into rough paragraph format. You will still have mistakes in spelling and sentence structure, but you organizing your notes into rough essay format. The final draft will be at least three paragraphs long.

Revising/editing—after you have completed a draft of all parts of your essay, you should reread your essay and then rewrite it making changes in both content and format. You might realize that you need to add in one more quote, or that your discussion of how the scene fits into the overall development of the play needs more work. You will add to your writing as needed as well as correct all mechanics errors (spelling, capitalization, punctuation, etc.)

Final Copy—when you are done revising your draft, you are ready to type the final copy. The final copy should address all the requirements of the essay and be error free. It needs to be at least one double-spaced typed page or be written on loose-leaf paper using blue or black ink. The final paper is due the end of the day on Friday, December 5.

Prewriting: Comprehension of the basics of the scene:

Who is in the scene? Pages 99-104

  • In the scene—Ruth, Mama, Mrs. Johnson, and Beneatha for a little bit;
  • Mrs. Johnson is the annoying neighbor; pats Ruth’s stomach, says nosy kinds of things, brings up issues that could be hurtful to the Youngers; J. is described as a “squeaky wide-eyed lady of no particular age” enthusiastic about everything(Act 2, Scene 2, Pages 98-99)
  • Mama is trying to be welcoming to J but is not too successful, Mama tells B to be nicer to her, but mama and Ruth exchange glances (stage directions—eye rolling) and words that show they don’t like J
  • Ruth must be pretty pregnant because J comments on the size of her stomach

What are they doing/what is going on?

  • J. brought in a newspaper and says she wants to help but really wants to talk about what happens to blacks who move into white neighborhoods
  • J talks about a bombing in a white neighborhood. J talks about the whites, calls whites names, uses the n-word which she knows Mama doesn’t allow in her house
  • Mama and ruth don’t want her to stay/Mama makes ruth offer her a second cup of coffee
  • Mama and J have a “disagreement”—J. thinks the Youngers are proud and maybe kind of stuck up “The Youngers is too much for me!...You sure one proud-acting bunch of colored folks” (103) Booker T. quote shows Mama’s values/J’s ignorance
  • Beneatha—blacks must overcome the KKK and people like Mrs. Johnson

What is the setting of the scene?

  • In the Y. apartment/ the kitchen, food issue—J wants to socialize/M and R don’t but M offers her sweet potato pie and coffee;

What is the mood of the scene?

  • The stage directions include: “insincere sense of melodrama” J is aggravating and just trying to stir things up, bad feelings between the Youngers and J
  • Mama get kind of tired of listening to J (102)
  • Unpleasantness—see stage directions on 101
  • Beneatha “crisply” doesn’t have time for J—calls her ignorant
  • Mama and J are really having a serious difference of opinion about race, education, and families

Power:

Mama has the power in this exchange with Johnson. More educated and thoughtful than J. Mama wants her children educated and not be servants. She is leading the family to better circumstances and is not afraid to make changes—even in the face of racism and threats.

How related to overall issues in the play:

Some of the main themes in the play are in these five pages—racism, as demonstrated by the bombing of homes of black families in white neighborhoods. Racism on the part of Mrs. Johnson—making it even more interesting is the fact that these pages were cut from the first productions/first editions. Education—Mrs. J’s quote from Booker T, her comment about Beneatha being so proud. Family issues are here too—Mama comments to Beneatha about being rude, even though Mama also doesn’t like Mrs. J.