The Man Who is Almost a Man by Richard Wright is a coming-of-age story about a young African American boy named Dave who is struggling to find his place in the world. Dave is 17 years old and lives in rural Mississippi during the 1940s. He is desperately trying to prove his manhood and gain the respect of his peers, but he often finds himself at odds with the expectations of his community and his own insecurities.
Dave's desire for manhood is fueled by his envy of the power and respect that other men in his community seem to possess. He is particularly envious of his neighbor, Jim Hawkins, who is a successful farmer and owns a gun. Dave sees the gun as a symbol of manhood and power, and he becomes obsessed with the idea of owning one for himself. He believes that owning a gun will give him the respect and authority he craves, and he becomes determined to buy one at any cost.
Dave's pursuit of manhood ultimately leads him down a dangerous path. He takes money from his mother's purse and uses it to buy a gun from a peddler, but he is not prepared for the consequences of his actions. When the gun accidentally goes off and kills a chicken, Dave is forced to confront the reality of his actions and the cost of his desire for manhood.
Through this experience, Dave learns that manhood is not something that can be bought or achieved through material possessions. It is a process of self-discovery and growth, and it requires a deep understanding of one's own values and beliefs. Dave also learns that respect must be earned through hard work and responsibility, and that true manhood is about being accountable for one's actions and making a positive contribution to society.
In conclusion, The Man Who is Almost a Man is a thought-provoking and poignant tale about the struggles of adolescence and the search for identity. It is a reminder that true manhood is not something that can be attained through material possessions or external validation, but rather through personal growth, self-awareness, and a sense of purpose and responsibility.
The Man Who Was Almost a Man: Symbols
We kin use it in the outhouse. When Jim Hawkins asks Dave to explain what happened, Dave lies and says that Jenny tripped and impaled herself on a plough. Ah ast yu how wuz yuh n ol man Hawkins gittin erlong? This could explain why he is not satisfied with shooting the gun just once, especially considering the terrible occurrence that happened the first time. A yellow lantern glowed on the front porch. When he reached the top of a ridge he stood straight and proud in the moonlight, looking at Jim Hawkins' big white house, feeling the gun sagging in his pocket. New York: Morrow, 1973.
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
He tossed on his bed, feeling his hard pillow. He was stiff, not breathing. He knows she is easier to persuade than his father. Ah wuz a-tryin t sssee ef the old gggun would sshoot -" "Where yuh git the gun from? He goes home and his mother sees him with the gun catalogue Joe has given him. He tol me t bring it back t im termorrow. The characters in The Man Who Was Almost a Man, however, do not seem to learn lessons the way that Baldwin's characters do. He hesitated just a moment; then he grabbed, pulled atop of a car, and lay flat.
A Summary and Analysis of Richard Wright’s ‘The Man Who Was Almost a Man’
Lawd, ef Ah had jus one mo bullet Ah'd taka shot at tha house. In this sense, it's not clear how we should feel about his running away at the end of the story. Finally, she turned to him. He starts the conversation by asking if his boss, Mr. The crowd surged in, looking at him.
The Man Who Was Almost a Man: A Clear Depiction of The Male Social Struggle
Rather than give it to his father, though, he lies to his mother about having hidden it, and then sleeps with the loaded gun under his pillow. Ahma beg her t gimme some money. The strong characters in Baldwins work are indicative of his pressing style and how there is much to be learned from his story, whereas Wright's story seems to be circular, as Dave never learns how to be a man. When he had dried his eyes he snatched up the book and held it again under his arm. He put the gun into his hip pocket and started across the fields.
The Man Who Was Almost a Man: Setting & Characters
Saunders quietly asks Dave about the gun, and urges him to tell the truth. If he had a gun like that he would polish it and keep it shining so it would never rust. Wright writes, "Dave turned over, thinking of how he has fired the gun. Overall, Sonny's Blues is a story of taking action and finding peace, while The Man Who Was Almost a Man seems to be a tale of escaping responsibility and running away. Dave works on a plantation plowing fields during his summer break from school. He does not depict events in a surreal fashion, nor does he employ stream-of-consciousness or meta-fictional elements, in this story or in his well-known novels such as The It is perhaps a slight stretch to see Dave as analogous to Meursault in Camus's The Stranger, but the comparison is not without validity. In tears, Dave confesses, but lies yet again when asked what he has done with the gun.
