“Why are they always dragging me down!!  Every time I get an opportunity to raise myself up, they are always throwing water on my flame.  Beneatha is so selfish, wanting the money for her to play at school.  Mama wants to stay in the place in life and time.  Ruth just wants to be angry and bitter all the time!  Nobody gives me support!”

 

I can’t wait to get out of this rat’s nest, hell-hole, rinky-dink place they claim to be an apartment.  These people are too narrow-minded to recognize that life is more than fighting, making up, breeding--it’s not living. I want to bear witness to the wonders of the world. I want to TRAVEL. I want to experience life at its finest, not be tied down to the crime, the deceit, and the dishonor that is this South Side. Being undermined by Mama and Walter has incited me to get out of here--to be a SOMEBODY. Why can’t they support MY DREAMS? And why don’t they have their OWN?   

MAMA:  Im jus tryin to do right by him.  He gone now.  We gots to get up outta here.   A place to be our own.  Travis gonna get big real soon.  Can’t fit on no couch no more.  B’Side I wants my garden.

 

“Walter, Walter, Walter!” That husband of mine! He just doesn’t see my side! Ever! I spend all my days working my fingers to the bone. Then I come home to this run down old place! How I would love a new home with a yard for Travis to play in. Yes indeed. A place of our own. Not having to have my baby, Travis, sleep on the couch every night. And share a bathroom with that other family hogging it all morning. Mama has the right idea of what to do with that money...yes indeed she does. If only Walter could see my side. But all he can think about is what he wants! And his dreams! What about my dreams and our boy’s? It’s Mama’s money anyway. Isn’t it? 

Monologue for Ruth Younger

By Julann Palo 

 

TRAVIS: “Man, Mama sure is mad. Daddy done messed up again. I hate it when they yell, and then Gramma gets all upset. I thought we was gonna get that house by now, Gramma keeps talkin’ ‘bout it like it’s a done deal. Mama says not to be selfish but bein’ in this house with these grown up fighting all the time…

Anyway, I heard Daddy yell something ‘bout “bein’ his own man” and “How is Travis supposed to see me?” I can see him just fine. I hope he ain’t drinking again, that’ll REALLy set Mama and Gramma off. He already done chased Aunt Beneatha out the house with fighting and stuff. Maybe we oughta take that white man’s money after all - money makes grown folks happy and we just need to be happy again, like when Pop Pop was here... 

Walter Lee Younger:

I don’t understand why no one likes my idea to buy a liquor store.  We just got a check for $10,000; let’s make it worth 10 times as much!!!  I want to take care of my friend, Willy. We go way back.  We could split the shifts up, and both of us could work there.  I am tired of being broke.  I want to be on easy street, for once.  Everyone will want to be like me then, with my