The Man Who Was Almost a Man Questions and Answers
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
What is the basic conflict in "The Man Who Was Almost a Man"? Is it internal or external?
The main conflict in the story occurs within the main character, Dave, as he struggles to prove that he is an adult worth respecting and admiring. That conflict is definitely internal, and is...
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
What is the setting of "The Man Who Was Almost a Man"?
The setting of the story is farmland in the rural South around the turn of the century. Setting is the time and place of the action of the story. Specifically, the story takes place on the...
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
Analysis of Dave's character and the meaning of "manhood" in "The Man Who Was Almost a Man"
Dave's character in "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" is marked by his struggle for respect and autonomy, representing his quest for manhood. He believes owning a gun will earn him the respect he...
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
Dave's maturity by the end of "The Man Who Was Almost a Man."
By the end of "The Man Who Was Almost a Man," Dave shows limited maturity. Although he takes a decisive step by leaving his oppressive environment, his decision to flee instead of facing the...
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
In "The Man Who Was Almost a Man," how does Dave's relationships affect his life?
The short story "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" by Richard Wright tells of a 16-year-old black boy who is desperate to assert his manhood. He comes to the conclusion that owning a gun will give him...
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
How does Wright's "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" reflect modernism?
Wright's story is indicative of Modernism because it shows a fundamental "shift" in human relations. One of the premises of Modernism is that it helps to show how human relations have...
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
Why is "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" written in third person omniscient instead of first person limited?
The third person omniscient point of view (POV) uses an all-knowing narrator. This POV gives the reader an honest and objective look at the thoughts and feelings of all the characters in the story....
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
How does "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" by Richard Wright depict growing up?
In Richard Wright's story “The Man Who Was Almost a Man,” the narrator, Dave, conflates gun ownership with adulthood, manliness, and maturity. Dave wants more than anything to own his own gun so...
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
In "The Man Who Was Almost a Man", how does Jenny the mule symbolize manhood?
The mule represents manhood because manhood often symbolizes a crossroads in life, and making the right decision "makes you a man". Jenny, who Dave has shot, represents that crossroads for...
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
What thesis could be written for Richard Wright's "A Man Who Was Almost a Man"?
Perhaps a comparison and commentary on how society determines when a young person is "mature" would suffice. The idea of a 17-year-old boy purchasing a gun (legally) is unthinkable today, but...
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
Could the train be a symbol in the short story "The Man Who Was Almost a Man?"
The train can symbolize many different things, depending on what you are taking away from the story. The story is essentially about a kid who wants respect from others, and goes about it in...
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
Has Dave in Richard Wright's "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" truly earned the right to be called a man?
The main character in Richard Wright’s story “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” struggles to know who he actually is. Dave Saunders’ identity crisis comes from living in a small southern town...
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
Why is Dave eager to buy a gun in "The Man Who Was Almost a Man"?
Dave is a young, powerless black man who wants to be treated like an adult. He is not taken seriously as a man because he hasn't proven himself to his family and employer. He works on a...
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
In Richard Wright's "Almos' a Man," does the ending indicate the protagonist's immaturity or his independence?
In Richard Wright's short story "The Man Who was Almost a Man" or "Almos' a Man," the main character Dave longs to overcome his poverty stricken life as a sharecropper's son in the rural south...
The Man Who Was Almost a Man
Themes and main idea of "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" by Richard Wright
Themes in "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" by Richard Wright include the struggle for identity, the desire for respect, and the transition from adolescence to adulthood. The main idea revolves around...