Free «A Raisin in the Sun: Character project - Ruth Younger» Essay Sample

Ruth Younger is writing a letter addressed to a character that played her mother-in-law, Naomi. Her letter starts with her current physical address location of their country’s capital. Below the address, the letter has a date that indicates ten years after their play, A Raisin in the Sun. The salutation that shows her much respect and love for Naomi in the play opens her ‘missing you’ reason for writing to Naomi after ten years of the play. She tells Naomi about her feeling to see Naomi once as she made a promise in the play that she would never depart from her (Naomi).

Ruth Younger’s letter starts with astonishing long silence that has gone between her and Naomi. She expresses enthusiasm on Naomi’s whereabouts, why and how. She makes inquiries on whether Naomi is still an actress, whether she has a family and with imaginations on how big the family could be. Ruth expresses her thoughts and imaginations on what about if the play would turn out to be true through her psyche and big desire in the letter about Naomi’s family after ten years of their play.

The letter informs Naomi that Ruth is in the capital where she lives happily in a ‘mansionatte’ with her family of four. Ruth narrates of her experience in social relationships that led to her husband. The husband suggested to her out of attraction of Ruth’s elderly and mature behavior with patience and obedience. Ruth further talks about her first happy pregnancy that gave her a bouncing baby boy. She informs Naomi that she got the pregnancy at thirty three, only three years after the play.

Ruth’s letter tells Naomi of her current film recording studio in the capital that is blossoming because of their play ten years ago. She attributes her current good life in the city to her participation and interest in the play.

Ruth Younger’s role in the family is ‘womanhood.’ She is pregnant and, therefore, every family member feels that she needs advice on how to bring up a child. She feels that Mama’s advice is meddling, and thus refutes it in preference of the mother-in-law’s advice on how to bring up a child. Hansberry narrates that Ruth is “about thirty” and sooner than later, she will be a “settled woman.” As a woman, Ruth has to work and complement the family’s meager earnings. She works for the wealth whites. The employer comments reports of Ruth’s absence from job, “…my girl didn’t come in today.”

Ruth has desires for the family to grow from poverty. Despite her initial content with their life situation, she feels happy with Mama’s ‘good news’ of possibilities to move to a new neighborhood. She also loves stress-free life, and thus feels contented with what comes her way. Ruth Younger is humble and patient with determination to good future life. In the play, she never succumbs to despair. Despite of the economic and marital problems in her life, she works on with a must live life. She forces Travis for a kiss when Travis is not at interest with it. She persuades the mother-in-law, Naomi to stop meddling by just a one disapproval glance. She never put up with meddling. Mama annoys her with meddling.

Ruth is loving and friendly. In the play, Ruth Younger promises Naomi that she would go wherever Naomi would go to, and said, “….Your people shall be my people.” Ruth has great love for Travis even if he feels upset with her. She forces him for a kiss and later saves her marriage. Ruth younger is a ‘sheep.’ She accepts what comes her way and remains apologetic even where it does not deserve. She is very timid on life issues. She requests George and Walter not to involve her in their conflict. She also contemplates on abortion because she feels it will increase the burden of the family.