A Raisin In The Sun Ruth Character Analysis

Ruth’s Revelation

A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, is set in the 1950s, chronicles the life of the younger family, struggling to survive Chicago’s Southside.(111) A series of events transpires challenging the “American Norms” depicting the nuclear family and its “unabashedly patriarchal” life of the 1950s (Domina). The Younger’s are a family with a power structure that is complicated, and they have no clear leader. Women by definition of societal principle are presumed under a shadow from birth, of what they are capable of and the roles they are expected to fulfill. Hansberry creates a character in Ruth who is portrayed as a “beaten down” woman whose disappointments in life have “begun to hang in her face” (111) Ruth is struggling to find herself and yet stay loyal to the expectations of a “settled woman” ()

Ruth’s coming child is significant use by Hansberry in a clever and indirect use of the Biblical book of Ruth. Even though Ruth reminds you of the biblical Ruth we see her challenges to succeed the domestic women linked to the Old Testament of salvation through the lineage of Christ. The clearly represented in this character of Ruth and is displayed in her devotion to her mother-in-law (Gourdine).
Ruth is Walter Lee's wife, an emotional woman with traditional values. Despite her love for family, she struggles in dealing with Walter's emotional abuse of her. Ruth is pregnant and realizes the economic burdens an additional person to feed would cause her family. After Ruth visits the gynecologist confirming her pregnancy, she puts a down payment for the abortion unknowing to her husband or family. This action per the times represents her progressive thoughts with exposure to socialization. Women working out of the home was not traditional of this time period unless you were poor. We see how poverty and being forced to work outside the home allowed for women to find who and what they are capable of through self- realization of the things they control irrelevant of society expectations. Ruth is very excited to move to the new house she wants her son Travis to have a better life than her. Ruth is a submissive woman who encounters many emotional struggles with family members, in the end, we see her strong-will and determination shine through. She is a practical woman and doesn’t dream or ask for things she knows she won’t be able to receive. This reflecting Ruth in the Bible who is a woman who is loyal to God and follows him no matter what situations she faces. This is clearly mirrored in the relationship between Lena (Mama) and Ruth.
The primary motivation for why Ruth does the things she does is to keep her family happy and together.

At present Ruth is the most reliable and emotionally stable one in the family and her family depends on her to keep them going. Throughout the play, as Walter and Lena go through their emotional battles, she’s the only one who’s opinions and emotions don’t change. Ruth brings a calm to the household, yet seems to the one always interfering in conversations and telling these two characters fighting and find a solution peacefully. Ruth is the mediator in the family. She doesn’t want to deal with Walter, even though she doesn’t mind speaking up when things are said she doesn’t like. Ruth doesn’t go out of her way to get what she wants. She’s the type of person who makes the best of whatever life hands her, peace and this is when we see her speak up for herself if that's what it takes. “Mama, something is happening between Walter and me. I don’t know what it is- but he needs something-something I can’t give him anymore. He needs this chance, Lena.” (111) This shows her attempt to make others happy, even in hindsight of her own morals and

needs.
Ruth’s attitude and behavior change throughout the play. She shows her deepest emotions about their current house and her undiscovered dreams for the new house. Her emotions of coping with a cramped old apartment shine through as she screams in defense of not losing their piece of the “American dream” expected to be achieved with the purchase of a new house. Her behavior intensifies because she is the homemaker; therefore, she has many emotional connections with this old house, and intense feelings of dislike for it because the house isn’t big enough to accommodate their family and even their problems. Ruth faces a personal crisis when she contemplates whether or not to have an abortion to save her family any further financial burden. Beneatha (Walter’s sister) even questions where the baby is going sleep, “Where is going to sleep? On the roof?” (111). However, the crisis is resolved when Mama says, “We [are] a people who give children life, not who destroys them.” (111) This comment touches Ruth’s heart and sense of morals, and she later decides to keep the baby.
We learn from these actions Ruth knows her morals and values in life; however, she is willing to sacrifice herself and even her unborn child to keep from causing the family any further problems or distress. Ruth has a revelation when Lena discloses to the family that they are going to be living a brand new house. Ruth now sees a brighter future for her son Travis, and she hopes that the new and larger home in a white neighborhood will reduce the conflicts in their household. Ruth relates to the new house as an opportunity for a brighter future for the family. We see this portrayed in the scene when Ruth learns of Lena’s down payment on their future home and screams for joy and rejoices. She seems to have defeated that bubble her family has oppressed her in with their continual problems, and finally realizes she has something for herself. This entire time, she has put other’s problems before her own and now she is ecstatic because the new home will please everyone, which she always seeks to do herself, and even to include happiness and satisfaction for herself.
Ruth and Walter’s relationship are weak and unstable. They have a love-hate relationship after many years of marriage. Ruth considers getting rid of her child because of Walter’s situation. She is stuck between poverty and maintaining her love for Walter because she knows another baby, will make their marriage even weaker as it already is. She believes an abortion would assist in keeping her family on their feet for a while. Ruth hides her opinions and feelings because she doesn’t want to bring any additional stress to the family.

For example, when Ruth didn’t say she went to an abortion doctor. “When the world gets ugly enough-a woman will do anything for her family.”