How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Act.Scene.Line). Every time a character talks counts as one line, even if what they say turns into a long monologue.
Quote #4
MAMA (The mother and son are left alone now and the mother waits a long time, considering deeply, before she speaks)
Son – you – you understand what I done, don’t you? (WALTER is silent and sullen) I – I just seen my family falling apart today… just falling to pieces in front of my eyes…We couldn’t of gone on like we was today. We was going backwards ‘stead of forwards – talking ‘bout killing babies and wishing each other was dead…When it gets like that in life – you just got to do something different, push on out and do something bigger… (She waits) I wish you say something, son…I wish you’d say how deep inside you you think I done the right thing – (2.1.186)
Lena needed to make a big decision in order to get her family back on track, even if it meant disappointing her son. She knows her choice will be a hard one, but still she felt it was the best thing to do.
Quote #5
MAMA I’ve helped do it to you, haven’t I, son? Walter I been wrong
[…]
Listen to me, now. I say I been wrong, son. That I been doing to you what the rest of the world been doing to you. (2.2.111-3)
Lena realizes she may have contributed to Walter's state of helplessness and decides to rectify her mistake. She now believes that she might have made the wrong choice in not giving Walter any of the money.
Quote #6
MAMA
That leaves sixty-five hundred dollars. Monday morning I want you to take this money and take three thousand dollars and put it in a savings account for Beneatha’s medical schooling. The rest you put in a checking account – with your name on it. And from now on any penny that come out of it or that go in it is for you to look after. For you to decide. (2.2.113)
Lena decides to give all that's left of the insurance money to Walter, hoping that entrusting him will resurrect his faith in himself. In the short term, this seems like a really bad choice, because Walter loses all the money to Willy Harris. Ultimately, though, it leads to Walter's redemption. It seems like even choices that sometimes seem bad can turn out alright in the end.