A Raisen In The Sun Flashcards

Question

presumably

Answer 1

presumably (adv) probably; reasonably supposed (96) “Time: Friday night. A fewweeks later. At rise: Packing crates mark the intention of the family to move. BENEATHA and GEORGE come in, presumably from an evening out again. GEORGE O.K. ... O.K., whatever you say ... (They both sit on the couch. He tries to kiss her. She moves away) ”

Answer 2

rebuff (n) blunt refusal (96) “GEORGE (Exasperated; rising) I know it and I don’t mind it sometimes ... I want you to cut it out, see—The moody stuff, I mean. I don’t like it. You’re a nice-looking girl ... all over. That’s all you need, honey, forget the atmosphere. Guys aren’t going to go for the atmosphere—they’re going to go for what they see. Be glad for that. Drop the Garbo routine. It doesn’t go with you. As for myself, Iwant a nice—(Groping)—simple (Thoughtfully)— sophisticated girl ... not a poet—O.K.? (He starts to kiss her, she rebuffs him again and he jumps up) BENEATHA Why are you angry, George? GEORGE Because this is stupid! I don’t go out with you to discuss the nature of “quiet desperation” or to hear all about your thoughts—because the world will go on about your thoughts—because the world will go on thinking what it thinks regardless— ”

Answer 3

revelation (n) new information (91, 105) “TRAVIS Yes’m— MAMA Well—what you think your grandmama gone and done with that money? TRAVIS I don’t know, Grandmama. MAMA (Putting her finger on his nose for emphasis) She went out and she bought you a house! (The explosion comes from WALTER at the end of the revelation and he jumps up and turns away from all of them in a fury. MAMA continues, to TRAVIS) You glad about the house? It’s going to be yours when you get to be a man. TRAVIS Yeah—I always wanted to live in a house. MAMA All right, gimme some sugar then—(TRAVIS puts his arms around her neck as she watches her son over the boy’s shoulder. Then, to TRAVIS, after the embrace) Now when you say your prayers tonight, you thank God and your grandfather—’cause it was him who give you the house—in his way. ”

Answer 4

revelation (n) new information (91, 105) “TRAVIS Yes’m— MAMA Well—what you think your grandmama gone and done with that money? TRAVIS I don’t know, Grandmama. MAMA (Putting her finger on his nose for emphasis) She went out and she bought you a house! (The explosion comes from WALTER at the end of the revelation and he jumps up and turns away from all of them in a fury. MAMA continues, to TRAVIS) You glad about the house? It’s going to be yours when you get to be a man. TRAVIS Yeah—I always wanted to live in a house. MAMA All right, gimme some sugar then—(TRAVIS puts his arms around her neck as she watches her son over the boy’s shoulder. Then, to TRAVIS, after the embrace) Now when you say your prayers tonight, you thank God and your grandfather—’cause it was him who give you the house—in his way. ” “WALTER (Indifferently) Was it? RUTH She said if you don’t come in tomorrow that they are getting a new man ... WALTER Ain’t that sad—ain’t that crying sad. RUTH She said Mr. Arnold has had to take a cab for three days ... Walter, you ain’t been to work for three days! (This is a revelation to her) Where you been, Walter Lee Younger? (WALTER looks at her and starts to laugh) You’re going to lose your job. WALTER That’s right ... (He turns on the radio) RUTH Oh, Walter, and with your mother working like a dog every day— (A steamy, deep blues pours into the room) WALTER That’s sad too— Everything is sad. ”

Answer 5

amiably (adv) good-naturedly (114) “MAN (Regarding WALTER, and sitting) Well—My name is Karl Lindner ... WALTER (Stretching out his hand) Walter Younger. This is my wife—(RUTH nods politely)—and my sister. LINDNER How do you do. WALTER (Amiably, as he sits himself easily on a chair, leaning forward on his knees with interest and looking expectantly into the newcomer’s face) What can we do for you, Mr. Lindner! LINDNER (Some minor shuffling of the hat and briefcase on his knees) Well—I am a representative of the Clybourne Park Improvement Association— WALTER (Pointing) Why don’t you sit your things on the floor? ”

Answer 6

. ludicrous (adj) ridiculous (124) “MAMA (Indignantly) What’s the matter with you all! This here is a beautiful hat! (Absurdly) I always wanted me one just like it! (She pops it on her head to prove it to her grandson, and the hat is ludicrous and considerably oversized) RUTH Hot dog! Go, Mama! WALTER (Doubled over with laughter) I’m sorry, Mama—but you look like you ready to go out and chop you some cotton sure enough! (They all laugh except MAMA, out of deference to TRAVIS’ feelings) ”

Answer 7

wrought (v) shaped; made (137)\ “ BENEATHA Too many things—too many things have happened today. I must sit down and think. I don’t know what I feel about anything right this minute. (She promptly sits down and props her chin on her fist) ASAGAI (Charmed) All right, I shall leave you. No—don’t get up. (Touching her, gently, sweetly ) Just sit awhile and think ... Never be afraid to sit awhile and think. (He goes to door and looks at her) How often I have looked at you and said, “Ah—so this is what the New World hath finally wrought ...(He exits. BENEATHA sits on alone. Presently WALTER enters from his room and starts to rummage through things, feverishly looking for something. She looks up and turns in her seat) BENEATHA (Hissingly) Yes—just look at what the new world hath wrought…” ”

Answer 8

monologue (n) long speech by one person (138) “BENEATHA (Hissingly) Yes—just look at what the New World hath wrought! ... Just look! (She gestures with bitter disgust) There he is! Monsieur le petit bourgeois noir—himself! There he is—Symbol of a Rising Class! Entrepreneur! Titan of the system! (WALTER ignores her completely and continues frantically and destructively looking for something and hurling things to floor and tearing things out of their place in his search. BENEATHA ignores the eccentricity of his actions and goes on with the monologue of insult) Did you dream of yachts on Lake Michigan, Brother? Did you see yourself on that Great Day sitting down at the Conference Table, surrounded by all the mighty bald-headed men in America? All halted, waiting, breathless, waiting for your pronouncements on industry? Waiting for you— Chairman of the Board! (WALTER finds what he is looking for—a small piece of white paper—and pushes it in his pocket and puts on his coat and rushes out without ever having looked at her. She shouts after him) I look at you and I see the final triumph of stupidity in the world! (The door slams and she returns to just sitting again. RUTH comes quickly ”

Answer 9

eccentricity (n) quality of being strange or unusual in behavior (138) “BENEATHA (Hissingly) Yes—just look at what the New World hath wrought! ... Just look! (She gestures with bitter disgust) There he is! Monsieur le petit bourgeois noir—himself! There he is—Symbol of a Rising Class! Entrepreneur! Titan of the system! (WALTER ignores her completely and continues frantically and destructively looking for something and hurling things to floor and tearing things out of their place in his search. BENEATHA ignores the eccentricity of his actions and goes on with the monologue of insult) Did you dream of yachts on Lake Michigan, Brother? Did you see yourself on that Great Day sitting down at the Conference Table, surrounded by all the mighty bald-headed men in America? All halted, waiting, breathless, waiting for your pronouncements on industry? Waiting for you— Chairman of the Board! (WALTER finds what he is looking ”

Answer 10

amid (adv) among; in the midst of (149) “RUTH (Looking around and coming to life) Well, for God’s sake—if the moving men are here—LET’S GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! MAMA (Into action) Ain’t it the truth! Look at all this here mess. Ruth, put Travis’ good jacket on him ... Walter Lee, fix your tie and tuck your shirt in, you look like somebody’s hoodlum! Lord have mercy, where is my plant? (She flies to get it amid the general bustling of the family, who are deliberately trying to ignore the nobility of the past moment) You all start on down ... Travis child, don’t go empty-handed ... Ruth, where did I put that box with my skillets in it? I want to be in charge of it myself ... I’m going to make us the biggest dinner we ever ate tonight ... Beneatha, what’s the matter with them stockings? Pull them things up, girl ... ”

Answer 11

epitaph (n) inscription on a tombstone (145) “BENEATHA I said that that individual in that room is no brother of mine. MAMA That’s what I thought you said. You feeling like you better than he is today? (BENEATHA does not answer) Yes? What you tell him a minute ago? That he wasn’t a man? Yes? You give him up for me? You done wrote his epitaph too—like the rest of the world? Well, who give you the privilege? BENEATHA Be on my side for once! You saw what he just did, Mama! You saw him—down on his knees. Wasn’t it you who taught me to despise any man who would do that? Do what he’s going to do? ”

Answer 12

ominous (adj) menacing; threatening (131) “An hour later. At curtain, there is a sullen light of gloom in the living room, gray light not unlike that which began the first scene of Act One. At left we can see WALTER within his room, alone with himself. He is stretched out on the bed, his shirt out and open, his arms under his head. He does not smoke, he does not cry out, he merely lies there, looking up at the ceiling, much as if he were alone in the world. In the living room BENEATHA sits at the table, still surrounded by the now almost ominous packing crates. She sits looking off. We feel that this is a mood struck perhaps an hour before, and it lingers now, full of the empty sound of profound disappointment. We see on a line from her brother’s bedroom the sameness of their attitudes. Presently the bell rings and BENEATHA rises without ambition or interest in answering. It is ASAGAI, smiling broadly, striding into the room with energy and happy expectation and conversation. ”

Answer 13

plunder (v) to rob; to loot (134) “BENEATHA I know that’s what you think. Because you are still where I left off. You with all your talk and dreams about Africa! You still think you can patch up the world. Cure the Great Sore of Colonialism—(Loftily, mocking it) with the Penicillin of Independence—! ASAGAI Yes! BENEATHA Independence and then what? What about all the crooks and thieves and just plain idiots who will come into power and steal and plunder the same as before— only now they will be black and do it in the name of the new Independence—WHAT ABOUT THEM?! ASAGAI That will be the problem for another time. First we must get there. BENEATHA And where does it end? ASAGAI End? Who even spoke of an end? To life? To living? BENEATHA An end to misery! To stupidity! Don’t you see there isn’t any real progress, Asagai, there is only one large circle that we march in, around and around, each of us with our own little picture in front ”