The Man Who Was Almost a Man Richard Wright

Richard Wright Wright was the first major African American novelist in the twentieth century

Author born September 4th , 1908, near Natchez, Mississippi and he has one young brother. During his childhood , Richard suffered a lot because his father left them and his mother was ill. He married twice and has two daughters :Julia 1942 and Rachel 1949

Wright travels to many cities : Memphis : the city’s library Chicago : began publishing his stories New York : he published his most famous novel, Native Son (1940), and memoir Black Boy (1945)

Paris : became part of Paris’s vibrant literary circle. London . Paris: where he died on November 28, 1960.

The Man Who Was Almost a Man "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" also known as "Almos' a man“. It is a short story and was published in 1961 as part of Wright's compilation Eight Men

Wright was a naturalism in his life &in his work as "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" The story is about a young boy's desire to have a gun in order to be a man.

Summary : Field Back to home and thinking about buying a gun Asks his mother to agree Store Lack of confidence Asks Joe to lend him the catalog Home His mother sees the catalog and tell him to back it tomorrow

Buying a gun He isn’t sure about using the gun Hide it instead of giving to his mother Field Dave and the mule called jenny in the field. Dave shouts and hurts the mule . End Mr. Hawkins will take the money from Dave's salary each month Dave tries the gun for the last time but without closing his eyes .

Characters

Saunders’s  family Mr. Saunders  Mrs. Saunders Dave Saunders 

Joe - owner of the gun stor - careless and care only about money . Mr. Hawkins - the owner of the farm - Fair with all workers  

Themes

Themes The Search for Power - World care about personal and economic power. - He works for nothing .

- He wants to transfer from adolescence into real man . Coming-of-Age Struggles - He wants to transfer from adolescence into real man . - Extra responsibility .

Symbolism

The Gun: - power or control, independence and the desire of masculinity. - With the gun Dave feels invincible

The Mule : - Dave’s failure in life - Dave is not ready to be a man

Motifs

Lies and Lying Dave lies on his mother all the time Wrong idea about how to be a man Lying indicate lack of responsibility .