The Man Who Was Almost a Man" by Richard Wright: Summary and Themes

1. The Man Who Was Almost a Man Richard Wright

2. Richard WrightWright was the first major African American novelist in the twentieth century

3. 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

4. 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)

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

6. 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

7. 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.

8. Summary :

10. Characters

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

13. Themes

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

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

16. Symbolism

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

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

19. Motifs

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