Walter’s Choices

This discussion-based worksheet is designed for students in Grades 8 and 9 to deepen understanding of Walter Younger’s character development in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun. Learners analyze Walter’s most significant decisions-especially his financial risks, personal ambitions, and moral turning points-through guided short-answer questions that promote thoughtful discussion and ethical reflection.

Learning Goals

• Character Evaluation & Decision Analysis (Grades 8-9)
  Students examine why Walter makes key choices and how those decisions shape his growth.
• Ethical Reasoning in Literature
  Learners consider issues of pride, responsibility, masculinity, and integrity as they relate to Walter’s actions.
• Understanding Character Growth
  Activities highlight Walter’s development from frustration and impulsiveness to maturity and self-respect.
• Evidence-Based Written Expression
  Students support interpretations with details from dialogue and events in the play.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource
  Designed by educators to align with middle school and early high school ELA standards.
• Discussion-Driven Format
  Questions are ideal for small-group discussion, whole-class conversation, or written reflection.
• Focus on Moral Complexity
  Encourages students to see Walter as a nuanced character rather than simply “right” or “wrong.”
• Supports Deeper Theme Analysis
  Connects Walter’s choices to broader themes of family, dreams, and perseverance.
• Flexible Classroom Use
  Works well as classwork, homework, discussion prep, or assessment.
• Printable & No-Prep
  Easy to implement in classroom or homeschool settings.

This Walter’s Choices worksheet helps students grapple with the complexity of Walter Younger’s decisions and growth. By evaluating his actions through discussion and evidence-based responses, learners strengthen critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and literary interpretation skills while gaining deeper insight into one of the play’s most dynamic characters.

This worksheet is part of our A Raisin in the Sun collection.