Write a brief summary of Act 1 of "A Raisin in the Sun."
In Act 1 of "A Raisin in the Sun," we are introduced to the Younger family who reside in a cramped apartment on the South Side of Chicago. The family consists of Lena, the matriarch and widow, her son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, and their young son Travis. Lena's daughter, Beneatha, also lives with them.
The family is eagerly awaiting a $10,000 life insurance check following the death of Lena's husband. Walter Lee, frustrated and unfulfilled with his job as a chauffeur, dreams of using the money to invest in a liquor store with his friends. However, Lena has other plans for the money; she wants to use a portion of it to provide a better life for her family and buy a house in a white neighborhood.
Tensions arise between Walter and Lena as they clash over their differing ideas of how the money should be used. Ruth discovers she is pregnant and contemplates having an abortion due to their financial struggles.
Meanwhile, Beneatha expresses her desire to become a doctor and embraces her African heritage, much to the confusion and disapproval of her family. She gets involved with two suitors: George Murchison, who represents the assimilated African-American middle class, and Joseph Asagai, a Nigerian student who encourages Beneatha to embrace her roots.
The act concludes with the arrival of Karl Lindner, a white representative from the Clybourne Park Improvement Association. He offers to buy back the house the Youngers are planning to purchase in the white neighborhood, attempting to discourage them from integrating. Walter initially considers the offer, but ultimately rejects it, making a firm decision to stand up for his family's dreams and aspirations.