Even the smallest of details are significant; sometimes those things are the most significant. In a play, however, things are clearly going to be different than in a regular novel. Plays are meant to be acted, so a person's thoughts are not considered like in a novel. Therefore, the imagery and detail comes through body language- acted out in a performance, or in parentheses in the script. Body language gives us big hints on characters during specific scenes, like how they react to certain situations, their opinions, and their attitudes at critical points.
A great example of this occuring in A Raisin In the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry occurs right after Walter learns about his money being lost. Mama's reaction to this event will set the tone for everyone else's, and Hansberry writes, "Mama stops and looks at both of her children and rises slowly and wanders vaguely, aimlessly away from them," (Hansberry 518). We don't even have to read her next line to know that she is upset, and more importantly disappointed in Walter.
Another example of this is a simple one word description, "beaten," (Hansberry 476). This is right after Mama explains to Walter that Ruth is considering an abortion, and before Ruth butst in to confirm what Mama has told him. One word, "beaten" has such incredible meaning. Ruth is not just tired, sad, or desperate, she is just beaten down.
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