Please post a response to the following questions concerning Richard Wright's "The Man Who Was Almost a Man." Your responses should be 200-300 words for each question. Please respond to two other student's responses (minimum 200 words).
1. Does Wright's use of early African-American dialect make the story a more authentic read for you?
2. What role does the gun play for Dave? Why does he need/want a gun? What are the sources of Dave's needs?
3. What does the accidental shooting of Jenny reveal about Dave?
4. What evidence is given in the story to support Dave's rebelliousness or hostility? Do you sympathize with Dave?
1) Using the early African-Amercian dialect did make the story more authentic to read because I felt like I was taken to that time period and I could actually put myself in the story while I was reading it. I also think it was authentic because if the story is told from a past period of time, I think it should be written the way that they talked and expressed themself at that time since they are not in our time we can look back and realize that how we express ourselves might be different or even wierd to them. 2)The gun plays the role of a way of becoming a man. It makes Dave feel as he is completely entering his manhood and that people will respect him even if they are older than him because he could be able to scare them and feel power over them. Dave uses the excuse that they need a gun at home because they never know what could happen and since they do not have one at home they would not be prepear for such event. 3)The accidental shooting to the mule reveals that Dave is still at a stage where he is more of a young one instead of a man. He is yet not prepare to be holding such weapon and that he is not emotionally prepare to be shooting things nor others. He still seems as he needs to wait until he has learn more lessons to the adulthood. 4)Dave's rebelliousness is caused by the fact that he is never given anything eventhough he works long hours of the day. Dave is like tied back from everything he has no otpion to spend money on things that he might actually be interested in. I do not sympathize with Dave because he yet was not prepared for manhood and he should not run away from his problems if he was such a man like he said he would have confronted them and instead of getting a beating from his dad he could have had a "man on man" talk.
1. Yes, wrights use of early african american dialet made me feel like i was really there in the story. people don't talk the way the story is written.
2.The gun is a symbol of a boy entering man hood for Dave. Dave wanted to become a man by owning a gun he felt he could be a man and do anything. Dave was saying he could kill any white or black person, so the gun man him feel superiour over other people. Dave sources were that they didnt have one at home for protection, he felt the family needed the gun.
3.The accidental shooting proves that Dave is still a child. Dave is not ready to own a gun he does'nt know what he is cappable of doing. He could have killed a innocent person. he is not emotionallly prepared to have such a big responsibility of owing a gun.
4.Dave's rebellious and hostillity evidence is that he never has money to buy nice things. He works and he has to always put his money on important things. I don't have any sympathy for him because he was young and he didn't know the responsobilities that came along with owning a gun. A gun does not make a man.
1. By Wright's use of early African-American dialect does make the story more authentic. It also gives the reader a sense of truely understanding the story.
2. I believe the gun plays as a safety net for Dave. It's in a way his protector, and it shows his manly persona. He feels that by having this gun he is entering manhood.
3. That deep down inside he is kind but has some internal issues. And that he is indeed far from being a man; that he's still a boy.
4. He was never given a chance in life. It is very easy to sympathize with Dave. However, it didn't appear that he was at all sympathetic.
1) Wright's use of the African- American dialect really did make the story seem more authentic. It helped me put myself into the story. I really enjoyed it because it gave me a glimpse of how people would take back in those days. 2) The gun played the part of Dave's manhood. Dave felt that if he had a gun that the older people would respect him more and be a bit scared of him. He wants the gun so that he could feel better about himself and feel more grown up. 3)The accidental shooting of Jenny revealed that Dave was still a young boy and not yet a man. It showed that, yes, having a gun can make you feel powerful but at the same time having a gun means you need to show responsibility. Dave didn't seem to have the responsibility part down, because he never had anyone show him how to properly shoot a gun. 4) I feel Dave's rebelliousness came from the fact that he worked his butt off and never saw any of the money, proving his hard work. He basicallly felt like he had nothing to show for all of his efforts. I don't exactly sympathize with Dave because he should not have gotten the gun without getting proper training to shoot the gun. He should have showed more responsibility.
1. Wright’s use of the African-American dialect in my opinion did make the story seem more authentic. It helped me understand the story more by being able to imagine myself being in the story.
2. For Dave the gun played the part of his manhood. He felt that owning a gun he could basically do anything and it would help him feel more like a man and have more respect and be seen as a man. He felt that the gun made him unstoppable or more powerful than others. It says that his family does not have one and that he thinks they need one for protection.
3. The accidental shooting of the mule Jenny revealed that Dave was not mature enough for the gun and shows that he is still not that man he is still a boy. He is not ready to have the power of a gun or handle the responsibilities that come with such a powerful and dangerous weapon.
4. Dave is rebellious because he feels that all his work was for nothing the money he earns is spent on important things and because these things are not fun things that he wants he feels that all his hard work and efforts are pointless. I don’t really thing I sympathize with Dave because he obviously was not ready or mature enough to handle a gun or have a gun and he proves that to be true. He is not ready for manhood and he tries to prove that he is by being rebellious and all it does is prove how much he has to learn about responsibility and consequences before he is a man.
1. Wright’s use of early African-American dialect did not make the story a more authentic read for me. It only made the reading more difficult and take much longer than necessary. It was more annoying than helpful with authenticity, I feel like the same point could have been brought across with only a few words of early African-American dialect. I understand the dialogue should be in the early African-American dialect, but I don’t think all the thoughts should’ve been in it too. The narration is in standard dialect and I think it would’ve been more helpful for the entire story except for the dialogue to have been more standard. There were some words in the early African-American dialect that I could not even figure out what they were supposed to be, which is definitely not helpful in making it more authentic if I don’t even know what is being said. I did like the story and the message from it, but I would’ve enjoyed it so much more if it had been easier to read and understand. The struggle I had while reading it actually took away from the story and made me enjoy it less because it was so difficult. 2. The role of the gun for Dave in the story is control. He wants to feel like he is powerful and in control. He also talks about the fact that he is a man, but he talks about it in a way that he has to prove to others that he is a man. He wants the gun because he thinks part of what makes someone a man is being able to fire a gun. It seems like he has to prove to everyone around him that even though he is seventeen, he is responsible and an adult. He also probably wants it because his mother tells him he can’t have it, which normally makes any child want something more when it is breaking the rules. His mother also tells him she takes his money because he’ll buy things he doesn’t need with it, so he hasn’t ever bought anything for himself and would like the gun to be the first. Because he feels like it is such a forbidden item, it makes it more appealing. The sources of Dave’s needs and wants for the gun are pretty much every person around him. Nobody gives him respect and they treat him like a child. 3. The accidental shooting of Jenny reveals a lot about Dave. First of all, it shows he is stupid enough to shoot a gun with no training. Second, it shows that he has an emotional side because he gets upset and hurt. His emotion starts when he first realizes that Jenny is going to bleed to death, and he starts to cry. The shooting also reveals that Dave will lie in stressful times. He wasn’t a very good liar and no one believed him, but he did try to lie to cover up his mistake. When he lied and everyone around laughed in his face, he became even more upset. He cries a lot, and then later becomes angry. When he is feeling angry it shows that he has a competitive and revengeful side to him. All he can think about it getting the gun back and shooting it properly. It seems as if he just has to be able to prove everyone else wrong. His angry side comes out when he actually does go back to get the gun and convinces himself to shoot the last 3 bullets. He just had to prove to everyone that he was powerful and should be respected. 4. Dave’s rebelliousness and hostility is shown in a number of places in the story. He is obviously a rebel from the start. Asking his mother over and over if he could buy a gun and not giving up until she gave in showed some hostility. His rebellion starts when he first gets the gun and doesn’t give it to his mother right away like she had asked. Line 115 in the story says, “He had not come straight home with it as his mother had asked; instead he had stayed out in the fields, holding the weapon in his hand, aiming it now and then at some imaginary foe.” Then, he makes sure he gets home late enough to not have to give up the gun because everyone is asleep. The rebellion is shown again when he takes the gun to work and of course when he shoots it. His hostility is then shown when he gets angry with all the people laughing about what he did. I do not sympathize with Dave because he knew that he was not trained to use a gun and it would not end well especially after his mom had made a big deal about how he shouldn’t have a gun.
I did not enjoy Wright’s use of early African-American dialect. I found it confusing, misleading, and it took away from the story. I struggled with my reading throughout the entire story because I had a very difficult time deciphering what the actual words were. I had to have a friend tell me that Dave and his family was African-American, so the authentic dialogue obviously was not that helpful if it did not provide any clear insight into the ethnicity of the people in the story. Overall, I did not enjoy the author’s use of authentic African-American dialect; you had to take time away from the story just to determine what the story was about. It is possible that I struggled with the story because I am not familiar with African-American dialect. The author should have been aware of this and should have toned down the accents of the characters and made the story more understandable. This is the first time in my life that I have felt less intelligent at the end of a story then at the beginning of the story. I really did like the plot and romanticism of the story, but I do think that it was very poorly written. Within the story, the gun symbolizes power, confidence, manhood, and independence. Dave has worked and been beaten all his life, just like the mule that was in the story. So when the opportunity came along that he could overcome the oppressing in his life with the power of a gun he went after it without a second thought. Dave felt inferior to those around, whether it was his father or other works on the plantation; the gun was appealing to him because it gave him the confidence to stick up for himself. Many times throughout the story Dave is referred to as a boy or a child. The gun is a right of passage for him that symbolizes that his has achieved the status of a man in the eyes of the society. He wants the gun because he does not feel adequate to stand on his own. In the story, whenever Dave had the gun with him he felt more confident and it almost seemed as if he actually acted more confident. He was neglected and looked down upon his whole life. He never owned anything, never had something that was exclusively his. This gun embodied the control and independence that he had secretly yearned for. In the story, Dave is eager to try out his new gun. He walks out into the woods, far away from the farm so that no one can hear him. He then takes out his gun and begins examining and testing out the gun. Finally, he musters up the courage to fire his new deadly weapon. He soon realized the destructive power of this weapon firsthand. He had accidently shot the mule, Jenny. He felt horrible for what he had done, at first he felt sad and guilty, but then it turned into fear of begin caught. He tried to cover up his wicked deed. When he was confronted with what had happened he lied and deceived. This showed that he was neither honest, nor intelligent, nor was his trustworthy. Later that night he lay in bed pondering the events that had taken place earlier. He felt no remorse or sadness, he was only concerned with the individually consequences that would affect him. This showed that he did not have morals or values, and the fact that he did not own up to his punishment showed his cowardice and in ability to do what is right. At the end of the story, Dave jumps on a train and runs away from his problems, this drives home the characteristics of fear and spinelessness. There are several instances in the story that lend insight to the true nature of Dave, and every time he is confronted with an obstacle we catch a glimpse at his true nature. When Dave is walking to Joe’s store, he gives evidence that he hates being picked on and he gives the impression that he would love to be able to bully, pick on, and have power over those who had wronged him in some way. When he is talking to his mother about the gun, he uses his deceptive nature to cohort her into giving him what he wants. Once he gets permission from his mother and obtains that gun, he went against his mothers specifically commands because of his own selfish nature. After the killing of the horses he does not feel guilty, but instead he feels anger and even hatred. This shows that he has deep seeded emotional issues that brought him to make his decision at the end of the story. Finally, near the end of the story Dave wishes that he had just one cartridge left to shoot at Jim Hawkins’ plantation, just to show him who the boss was. This shows that he had a desire to have power and to pick on those who were helpless to him. I do not sympathize with Dave.
I agree with Olivia on number one because I found the use of the early African-American dialect confusing, misleading, and it took away from the story. I struggled with my reading throughout the entire story because I had a very difficult time deciphering what the actual words were. I had to have a friend tell me that Dave and his family was African-American, so the authentic dialogue obviously was not that helpful if it did not provide any clear insight into the ethnicity of the people in the story. Overall, I did not enjoy the author’s use of authentic African-American dialect; you had to take time away from the story just to determine what the story was about. It is possible that I struggled with the story because I am not familiar with African-American dialect. The author should have been aware of this and should have toned down the accents of the characters and made the story more understandable. This is the first time in my life that I have felt less intelligent at the end of a story then at the beginning of the story. I really did like the plot and romanticism of the story, but I do think that it was very poorly written.
I agree with Caitlin on question two because within the story, the gun symbolizes power, confidence, manhood, and independence. Dave has worked and been beaten all his life, just like the mule that was in the story. So when the opportunity came along that he could overcome the oppressing in his life with the power of a gun he went after it without a second thought. Dave felt inferior to those around, whether it was his father or other works on the plantation; the gun was appealing to him because it gave him the confidence to stick up for himself. Many times throughout the story Dave is referred to as a boy or a child. The gun is a right of passage for him that symbolizes that his has achieved the status of a man in the eyes of the society. He wants the gun because he does not feel adequate to stand on his own. In the story, whenever Dave had the gun with him he felt more confident and it almost seemed as if he actually acted more confident. He was neglected and looked down upon his whole life. He never owned anything, never had something that was exclusively his. This gun embodied the control and independence that he had secretly yearned for.
1. Wright's use of early African-American dialect makes the story more authentic to read for me because I can have fun with the way it's written and pay more attention to what they are trying to say since it's not your everyday speech. The dialect also helped me picture the story in my head. It was somewhat hard to understand at first but once I got further into it, it got easier to understand. The story made me think to myself, "wow I can't believe people actually talked like that."
2. The gun shows manhood for Dave. He thinks that if he had a gun he would be a man and be intimidating. Dave tells his mother that they need the gun just in case something bad happens.
3. The shooting of Jenny reveals that Dave isn't ready to be a man and that he is just a kid. He doesn't know anything about guns.
4. Dave was rebellious through out the story. He wouldn't take no for an answer and he didnt listen to one word his mother said. Not once but twice he rebelled and disobeyed his elders. The first time he rebelled he shot a mule and the second time was where he shot the last 3 shots in the gun and still had the thought that he was a man and thought he could handle the responsibilities.
I agree with Caitlin on number 4. He earned that money and he never got a dime of it. But having a gun doesn't prove anything with manhood and he was not ready to handle a gun.
I also like Marlene's answer to Number 1. We look back and say oh my gosh who talks like that? and if those people were living today and saw how we talked they would probably be the same way.
1.)Author Richard Wright's use of the early African American dialect in the story "The Man Who Was Almost A Man" indeed did make the story more authentic. From Dave's first words, the reader is immediately sucked into his world. The use of the words such as "whutcha", "mistah", and "git" makes the reader more quickly attach themselves to that setting in that specific time period. As a reader, from the beginning to the end, I felt that I could really picture all the characters, from Dave to Mr.. Hawkins, during all of the conversations that they had" it helped me to understand what things were like in that era and as a result it allowed me to understand the story even more than if it had been written without the early African American dialect. For example, when Jim Hawkins and some of his men discovered Jenny's dead body at the field and then questioned Dave about it, the word choice , which was written in that specific dialect, was extremely powerful because you feel a sense of compassion for Dave even though he was responsible for the mule's death; the dialect made an enormous difference when Dave tried to explain himself. Without the specific language and dialect that was used not only would the story not have been as completely authentic as it was, but it also would not have been as appealing and interesting. 2.)In the story "The Man Who Was Almost A Man", Dave is percieved as a young boy with many frustrations, frustrations which can be proven within the first few sentences, " Ah ain scarda them even ef they are biggern me!" It seems that he not only feels this was way in his workplace on the field but also in his home; when he returned to his home after getting the catalogue from Joe his mother repeatedly yelled at him and even "grabbed his shoulder and pushed him". The ownership of the gun, in Dave's eyes, would make him more of a man, more of a grown up in the eyes of others,, and ultimately earn him more respect from others. From the very beginning of the story Dave talks about owning a gun and feeling like he really needs one because he is "almost seventeen. Almost a man." In his mind, every man should have and own a gun, almost assuming that the gun is a type of right of passage for a young man. Although he purchases the gun to make himself feel more like a man instead of a sixteen year old boy, the reason behind the purchase, in the end, falls through because when he is confronted about the shooting of the mule, he returns back to acting his own age instead of a grown man. 3.) In the story, "A Man Who Was Almost A Man" Dave, a sixteen year old boy with many frustrations, has his mind set on purchasing a gun because in his mind he feels that a gun will bring him more respect and make him feel more like a man,"one of these days he was going to get a gun and practice shooting, then they couldn't talk to him as though he were a little boy." He continued to thing and feel this way after the purchase of the gun from Joe at the store, but his tough persona came to a screeching halt when he unintentionally shot a mule, which was owned by his boss Mr. Hawkins. After the accidental shooting, Dave let go of his ideas about being a full-fledged man and went back to acting the way a sixteen year old would act in that exact situation; frightened and worried. When he was confronted at the field by his parents, Mr. Hawkin's, and some of his men, he acted just like any boy would act,"Dave cried, seeing blurred white and black faces." The accidental shooting of Jenny reveals that Dave was not entirely ready to grow up and be a man; the situaition overwhelmed him and brought him back to reality and back to who he really is. 4.) Dave's rebelliousness and hostility is shown throughout most of the story. From the very beginning it is quite obvious to see that he has a hostility towards those who do not treat him like the man that he thinks he is. That hostility and anger is one of the reasons why he purchases the gun. Along with the hostility, he also has moments when he tends to act out in rebellious ways; after the discovery of the dead mule he reached for the gun, and ran awaywith it even though he was aware of the trouble ahead of him from his family , especially his father. Dave, in parts of the story does not always make the wise choice or decision, for example when he purchases the gun and does not return home right after like his mother told him to, but I do sympathize with him because at the end of the day he is just a young boy. He tries to prove to himself that he is a man, but when he makes mistakes, he responds to them the way a sixteen year old might. While I do believe that that what he did was wrong, his punishment, the beating of his father as well as the work that he has ahead of him on the field for two years, makes me sympathize for him even more.
1. Wright’s use of early African-American dialect does give the story a more authentic read. The dialect also allows you to see the ethnicity of the characters, where the characters might live, what time period it is , the different emotions the characters are feeling While the dialect gives away much information it makes the story more a challenge to read. I found myself struggling with the dialect at first then talking with an accent towards the end. I felt like I had traveled to the time where this story takes place and could hear and picture them in my mind.
2. Dave believes every man should have a gun. Dave believes that since he is seventeen he is almost a man and is old enough to have a one. At the beginning of the story Dave talks about how he is going to get a gun and start practice shooting and then the people out in the field couldn’t talk to him as if they he was a little boy anymore. It’s like the commercial for “pull ups” they say “I’m a big boy now” because when a child is being pottied trained they are constantly being told “you’re a big boy/girl”. I think Dave wants to be seen as a man and he’s tired of being a little boy but he just proves to himself and everyone else that he isn’t a man because he can’t handle a gun yet.
3. The accidental shooting of Jenny, the Mr.Hawkin’s Mule, proves that Dave isn’t a man and he isn’t ready for a gun. Dave wasn’t mature to follow his mothers orders when she told him to bring the gun straight back home after he purchased it from Joe. Dave wasn’t strong enough or educated enough to be handling a gun. When Dave shot the gun he closed his eyes clearly showing his lack of knowledge about gun safety. Dave was still acting like a child and making childish decisions. Dave knew nothing about the gun and had no reason to own a gun. Dave wanted it like a child wants a candy bar and he spent his hard earned money on a gun and ended up just owing Mr. Hawkin’s 50 dollars for a dead mule.
4. I believe Dave is being rebellious since he is continuously hiding things throughout the story from his mom and his father. Dave’s Dad s obviously not someone who is easily persuaded and seems pretty firm since Dave would not ask his mom for the two dollars while his father was in the room. Dave goes to the store at the beginning of the story prepared to buy a gun without his mother’s knowledge and later after he consults with his mother about it he still lies to her about what he did with the gun. Dave finds it hard to be honest throughout the story even after he shoots Jenny. Dave fails to ever tell the truth until his mom asks him where the gun is while Jenny is being buried. I don’t sympathize with Dave because he failed to listens to the directions given to him. He wanted to feel the gun, shoot the gun, and be sneaky and therefore he has to deal with the consequences.
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I agree with Caitlin about how he convinced himself a gun would make him more powerful than others. I believe that he also used the fact that his family didn't have a gun just to persuade his mom into letting him get one, just like he says he would give the gun to his mom so she could give it to his Pa because he needed on. I also agree with Olivia on her number two where she basically says that Dave wants the gun because everyone around him treats him like a child and since children can't have guns he thinks owning one will again, prove he is a man.
Most people agreed that Dave was rebellious. I like the point Katie makes about how Dave was still rebellious even after he kills the mule. Dave lies about where he hides the gun and tells his father he hid it in the creek when really he buried it by a tree in the woods where he had shot Jenny on accident. Dave continues to disobey his parents and sneaks out to go dig up and gun and then he proceeded to he shoot the gun again. Dave's actions prove he is not a man like the rest of his actions throughout the story. He didn't learn from his mistake and he was still irresponsible.
I agree with Nick on question number two. The gun really symbolizes a lot of things to Dave in the story. Things such as power, control, and becoming a man, are all important things to Dave that he feels like he does not have. The gun is the only option in his eyes to achieve these things. He also gets himself so worked up over wanting it, it seems to be all he cares about or thinks about. I especially like that Nick points out how Dave changes when he gets the gun. When he is in possession of the gun, he obviously feels more confident even if it’s just around himself. I also agree that it is almost shoved down his throat that he is not a man. Nick says, “Many times throughout the story Dave is referred to as a boy or a child. The gun is a right of passage for him that symbolizes that his has achieved the status of a man in the eyes of the society.” I think this is very true because he obviously doesn’t appreciate being treated like a child. He feels like he doesn’t receive any respect, he is looked down upon because he is considered to be a child. I agree with Caitlin on question number four. Dave is rebellious and proves how immature he is by hiding the gun from his parents and shooting it when no one was around. He shows that he is absolutely not ready to be a man by rebelling enough to actually shoot the gun the first time. When he goes back because he’s hostile and gets the gun to shoot again, he’s definitely not being responsible. I like the last part of Caitlin’s response that says, “He is not ready for manhood and he tries to prove that he is by being rebellious and all it does is prove how much he has to learn about responsibility and consequences before he is a man.” We both stated in our responses that he proves that he is not mature enough to have or handle a gun. Both the hostility and rebellion that Dave shows, only confirms how much of a child he really still is and how much he doesn’t deserve to have his own money. He would obviously not handle his own money well and would just buy things he didn’t need.
I agree but also disagree a bit with Olivia's answer to the first question. I do have to admit that it was hard to understand the story in the beginnging because of the dialect that was used and I did have to read it a bit slower than I usually read other stories because some of the words were hard to understand, but the word choice is exactly what made the story more authentic. It is a bit harder to read, but the dialect takes the reader back to that specific time period. I think that the story would not be the same without the use of the early African- American dialect. It made the story more interesting;I really liked the story and I think that it would have been completely boring without it. I was not expecting that kind of word choice when I first started reading it, but after finishing it I realized that it made the story even better.
On the other hand, I completely agree with Olivia's response with her answer to question number four. When I wrote my response to the question I was completely convinced that I completely sympathized with Dave, he had done something wrong and was going to be severely punished for it, but after reading her response I changed my mind. Dave should have known that what he was doing was dangerous and should have thought about any possible consequences that could result from his actions. Dave is sixteen and is old enough to know what is right and what is wrong. He was not responsible enough to have it and as a result he got into trouble by both his work boss and his parents. I think that when I was writing my response to the question his age slipped my mind: I kept picturing someone younger in my mind as I was responding for some reason.I still do feel sorry for him, but he really should have known better.
1. I thought that the dialect from the story was rather difficult to understand, and I did not enjoy reading it at all. I felt the same when I first read this story several years ago. I had trouble with a few words that took me a while to understand, which then became frustrating. I actually enjoy reading the story very much but the dialect kind of ruined my mood for it. However, I do think that it greatly differentiated the social class and race system at that time because the way Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Joe spoke is more proper than Dave and his family. It also showed the importance of racism at that time, and the struggle of an individual in life. 2. The gun plays the role of maturity and manhood, which is everything that Dave is not. It also plays a powerful tool in which Dave desperately needs in order to gain respect from other people. Dave also feels that he should be considered as a man rather than a boy, since other people around him addressed him as a boy. An example of this is from page 334 when Mr. Joe said “You ain’t nothing but a boy. You don’t need a gun.” Since everyone doesn’t think that he is mature enough, Dave thought that owning a gun is an opportunity in which he can prove to those around him that he is mature, that he is a man, and that he is responsible enough. Dave’s earnings are always taken away from him, so he doesn’t have the money to buy this gun. He knows that he can only go to his mother for the money because he is afraid that his father might beat him. This is typical in a family where the child doesn’t always get what they want. 3. The accidental shooting of the mule revealed that after all, Dave isn't mature like how he thought. He might think that he is a man but he is not. It also revealed that Dave is still inexperienced, therefore he is still a boy. 4. Dave's rebelliousness and hostility or hostility is shown from the very beginning of the story because the people around him would call him a little boy, and even put him down, like when Richard Wright wrote "Whut's the use of talkin wid them niggers in the field?"...Them niggers can't understand nothing. One of these days he was going to get a gun and practice shooting, then they couldn't talk to him as though he were a little boy." I actually do sympathize with Dave because all he wanted to do was to prove to others that he is a mature man at the age of seventeen, and not a boy. In the end he did made a mistake and realized his consequences.
I agree with Nick and Olivia about the dialect. It can be difficult to understand since it is not something that I am exposed to on a daily basis. I think that the narration can already explain it without a whole page's worth of the early African American dialect. I also agree with Courtney about number 3, about the lack of maturity and education in Dave. His lack of education and experience is probably one of the main points which caused Dave to make such decisions in the story.
1. Wright's use of early African-American dialect did make the story more authentic for me toread. When I first began reading the story "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" I was confused by the new dialect. I recently read a book about a young woman who was from Liberia, called "The House at Sugar Beach" and there was dialect in that book, but it was much easier to read. I had to re-read a few sentences to pick up on this dialect and get used to it. After I got used to the way in which this dialect was meant to be read, I feel that it helped me to understand the situation and time that this story is set in, which is a critical thing to understand in stories. If you don't pick up on the setting, you can get completely the wrong idea about it. I also found the dialect helped me understand how Dave's mind and thought processes worked a little better than I might have had it been written without the dialect. As a theatre major, I am always looking for ways to better understand people and thier motives. I found that this dialect helped me better understand Dave and his actions through being able to hear how he thinks and how he reacts to his thoughts.(222)
2. I was a little confused as to what role the gun played for Dave. I thought that it might represent anything to him.The gun might represent respect. Perhaps he hopes to earn, or scare people into respecting him because he owns a gun. Maybe this way no one will make fun of him anymore. It might represent power. The power he feels when it is in his hands, the power that others take away from him. It might also represent being a "man." This seems to be a common theme in the story. He feels that others don't take him seriously. Although he is only seventeen, he argues with his mother about being a man, and gives this as a reason that he ought to have the gun. When he leaves he says he ought to shoot at Mr. Hawkins' house to " let im know Dave Saunders is a man." The gun also might represent freedom. Instead of taking the gun back to Joe as his mother tells him to, he takes it out shooting and then hops on a train out of town. He goes thinking he is going "somewhere where he could be a man." The gun may represent any and all of these things to Dave. (209)
3. The accidental shooting of Jenny reveals a few things about Dave. I think that at first he is shock that he may of shot her. He is suprised to see the blood and even questions "Wondah did Ah shoot this mule?" He panics when he sees how servere the wound is. He tries to comfort her and plug the wound with dirt to stop the bleeding. Clearly he wants to help, but is trying to find a solution that will also keep him out of trouble. He used dirt to try to clog the wound. This doesn't work. He tries again, but realizes that his action is causing the mule to bleed to death. He still doesn't go to get help for fear of being in trouble, but tries to comfort her more until she dies, and then immeadatly goes to cover up the evidence. He tries to come up quickly with some story to explain the dead mule, but comes up with a story that he knows is ridiculous for lack of any other explanation that wasn't the truth. He continues to tell the story "he knew nobody believed," even when his parents were present. It takes his mother basically telling on him and his father threating him for him to fess up. He doesn't want to tell the story for two reasons in my opinion : one, he doesn't want to have the gun taken away from him and two, he doesn't want to be punished by either Mister Hawkins or his father. So in all, it shows his remorse, his desperation, his embarrasement and his shame. (266)
4. Evidence that is given in the story to support Dave's rebelliousness or hostility includes several things. The first article of evidence is found in his thought process at the begining of the story. His thoughts run wild on how others don't respect him and on how they must not know anything and how if he had a gun they wouldn't talk to him like a child, but would see that he was a man. More evidence of his rebelliousness is when he continues to look at the catalogue after being warned several times to set it aside throughout dinner. Other evidence of his rebelliousness is shown when he waits to corner his mother with the issue of buying the gun instead of asking his father. He knows that his father will say no, so he asked the person he thinks he can manipulate into saying yes. He shows more evidence of rebellion when he continually lies about what happened to Jenny. I am not to believe that he thought he was being rebellious or that he was intionally being difficult or devious. I sympathize with Dave's situation yes. I think that anytime you feel that you are not in control of your life or the actions that you have to do on a day to day basis, that you are a definate path to frustration or rebelliousness. I would like to think that I would of reacted a different way as well. My philosophy on that however is that you never really know how you are going to react until you find yourself in that situation. (276)
I agree with Courntey's take on the dialect. "authentic" is a very good, discriptive word. I wish I had thought of it. I am glad to know that I am not the only one that struggled with it at first. I agree that it helped me "travel" to that distinct setting. I always enjoy this in stories. I am confused by Nick's response to the dialect however. It is difficult for me to understand how the same element that drew me into the story and character was found misleading by another. Not only that, but that they felt "it took away from the story." I understand that it was frustrating at first, but for me at least, after you read it a bit, it was quite easy to get through. I felt that there was something new learned about the way that culture interacted in that time period. I am also confused when the author is expected to take into account that someone might not understand the dialect. I don't think that an author or artist of any kind should have to sensor themselves to society's understanding. I think that misses the point of writing, or painting or any other art form. To me the point is to expand your mind and others and I feel that this story did just that.
1. Does Wright's use of early African-American dialect make the story a more authentic read for you? Yes, it does. It would seem incredibly artificial for the characters to speak in a manner that did not reflect the culture and time period. If the conversation in the stare had proceeded as: “Hello David, Is there anything that you desire?” “Hello Joseph, I'm not currently interested in making purchases; I am only interested in perusing that Sears and Roebuck catalog that you keep in the store.” That would have seemed artificial and detracted from the story. Its' effectiveness is in that it reveals the nature of Dave as an illustration of an archetype of the time and culture, and the accurate portrayal of speech patterns is important to this purpose. 2. What role does the gun play for Dave? Why does he need/want a gun? What are the sources of Dave's needs? The gun is a means of security and power to Dave. It is a means of gaining advantage over others. This is evidenced in his thinking process by: “One of these days he was going to get a gun and practice shooting, then they couldn't talk to him as if he were a little boy.” and “and if he was holding a gun in his hand, nobody could run over him, they would have to respect him.” (Wright). Dave's inherent insecurity is revealed by the fact that he has to tell himself that he is not afraid of things. He tells himself that he is not afraid of the “niggers in the field”, and again when firing the gun the first time. It is also revealed in the way he avoids his mother after buying the gun. “he stayed out in the field until they were all asleep” (Wright).
3. What does the accidental shooting of Jenny reveal about Dave? The shooting of Jenny reveals that Dave is intrinsically irresponsible. He is so wrapped up in what he is doing that he does not consider possible consequences to others. He doesn't even pay attention to the direction he is facing when he shoots. He also begins by lying to try to cover it up, even though he knows that he won't be believed. This fore knowledge is shown by his statement that he got off easier than he thought he would (Wright). This seems to me to be the behavior of some one who is in the habit of lying. It is typical of the same behavior I myself exhibited when I was commonly lying.
4. What evidence is given in the story to support Dave's rebelliousness or hostility? Do you sympathize with Dave? His rebelliousness is first evidenced in the fact that he decides to address the issue of wanting a gun with his mother rather than his father. I believe that he goes about it in this way because he knows what his fathers response will be. I believe this because when I was about 17 I would avoid dealing with my mother over certain things because I knew what her reaction on those issues would be. His hostility is evidenced by his desire to get even with the “field niggers”, his desire to scare Mister Hawkins,
Many of the posters said that they do not sympathize. but I agree with Mireya Gallegos when she said, "but I do sympathize with him because at the end of the day he is just a young boy. He tries to prove to himself that he is a man, but when he makes mistakes, he responds to them the way a sixteen year old might. While I do believe that that what he did was wrong, his punishment, the beating of his father as well as the work that he has ahead of him on the field for two years, makes me sympathize for him even more."
Dave has not actually been taught what "being a man" is about. He has had to come up with his own Ideas and sdefinitions, and has come up with not being pushed around. Not having a father in high school, and fy father not being kind, loving, comunicative, or open in the early years when he was there; I understand and sympathize with Dave's decicions. I only know that his decicions are wrong today because of simular mistakes in my past and being fortunate enough to have met men, like Tom Hardy, who were kind enough, patient enough, wise enough, and loving enough to teach me what my father was unable to.
Dave is the typical young country boy. He feels he is becoming a man. He wants to display his manhood by being tough. He works a job and thinks he is responsible enough to purchase and own a gun. Dave's mother doesn't believe he is responsible enough. She even receives his pay from his job. Dave seems to have ego issues. He is small but has a big personality, very macho. He feels the only way to establish himself is to have a gun to feel no fear from anybody. After killing Mr.Hawkins' mule he was in a lot of trouble. The mule was dead and now everybody knew about it. Dave couldn't hide this one. Everyone put Dave in the spotlight (center of attention). His parents was all over his ass now. The truth was out, now Dave being the man he thought he was has to pay for a dead mule and give up the gun he wanted so badly. All this pressure and embarrasment pushed Dave to his limit. He felt his time had come for him to really be a man and start fresh somewhere else. Now Dave (a wandering man) had a gun with no bullets and a heart full of tenacious pride.
1.I agree that Wright's early African-American dialect made the story more authentic for me.It also had an originality thing going because of the way the story was put.This made me feel as if I were in that time or had some type of connection with writer and people in this story.
2.I believe that the gun is only there as a comfort for Dave.With him having the gun,it symbolizes his manhood.
3.This incident only shows that Dave is not mature and should not be allowed a weapon that can harm others.Dave was just not ready for something like that;nor,was he responsible.
4.I in someway show some sympathy for Dave because before you are given a gun I think there should be safety precautions taken.I mean it is very obvious that Dave was indeedd not ready for the gun because he wasn't responsible enoough.But,who is to say that he should be held responsible of the damage he done.The actions that he petrayed before-hand in the story should show he wasn't ready for the gun,so I strongly believe that you he really can't take full responsibility;although,he does know right from wrong.Dave just had a lot going on in my opinion and really didn't know how to handle it,so he acted out in the wrong way with being rebellious and hostile.
1. I found that the use of the african american dialect quite interesting. I thought that the way that they talked quite interesting. It wasn't at all difficult to understand for me. The words were only spelt a little differently then they are now. I think that Wright's use of the accent was pretty decent. Most writers that i've read do a very poor job. Also most say not to even attempt to do so because of the fact that it might draw away from the story. In this case it only adds to it.
2. The gun is a very important part of Dave's life at this time. He's at 17 and he thinks that he's a man. Being a man is represented by the gun. He sees that now that he's a man that he should have one. That a gun would show to everybody how much of a man he was. He wants to show that he is such because of the way he's made fun of and picked on, or being treated like a child. In his mind he figures that once he as this almighty weapon that everybody will start treating him like what he deems that a man should be treated. In order to get one he asks his mother convincing her that the house needs a gun and that it would be his fathers and that he needed a gun. Even to do this Dave knew that his Father wouldn't fall for such words and like a child he went to the easier parent to wheedle his way into a weapon. 3. The accidental shooting of Jenny shows that Dave is rather idiotic and irresponsible. Common sense dictates that you shouldn't close your eyes when aiming something especially as dangerous as a gun. Not even knowing where he was shooting at was reckless and shouldn't be disregarded just because he didn't know that much about a gun. This also shows that Dave is truelly still a child, especially when he lies about what happened to Jenny afterwards. A man supposidly would take responsibility for his actions not try and cover them up like Dave did. He doesn't take responsibility for his actions which also proves that he wasn't really ready for a gun or any sort of adult thing and his mother is smart for keeping his money from him. 4. Evidence to he is rebellious is obviously when he argues with his mother over the matter of the gun. Then when he was going to get it after getting his way he ignored her as she called after him. Then he deliberly disobeyed her when he didn't come directly home after buying it and giving it to her so that she could give it to his Father. Instead he stays out really late till he knows that his family is all asleep. He tries to avoid his mother when she asks about the gun. Then he lies about where the gun is so that he doesnt have to give it to her. Some examples of his hostility is his thoughts on how he's treated around the farm and after the shooting of Jenny. I dont particularly sympathize with Dave at all. He just seems a bit childish and selfish. He wants to be a man without taking on any of the responsibility that comes with it.
1) Wright’s use of early African-American dialect does add originality to the story. However, while reading the conversations, I found it very difficult to understand what it was that the characters were saying. At certain points in the story, I sometimes forgot what it was the characters were saying because I was more focused on being able to understand what I was reading rather than where the plot was headed. Envisioning the story was just as complicating. Usually whenever I read a story, I can picture the events as if I was watching a movie, but, once more, my concentration was on the dialect. It was too distracting.
2) Dave was a young African-American boy who worked in the fields of a rich white man. That’s all his life added up to. The gun served as an escape for Dave so that he could feel as if he had some kind of power over his life. He was always being oppressed, whether it was from his fellow workers on the fields or his own family. With a gun, Dave felt a sort of freedom that he could not attain. Throughout the story, it is mentioned that Dave is seen as just a boy. Everyone sees him as a child. The gun was his way of showing them all that he was a man, or at least in the process of becoming one. He wanted to show them that he was a man.
3) Once Dave takes Jenny out into the woods, his anticipation to fire the weapon starts to overflow. He closes his eyes and fires the gun. Upon opening his eyes, he sees that he has shot the mule. He gets very scared and fears that he will get caught. When he gets questioned, he lies to Jim Hawkins and his own family. When it is revealed to everyone that Dave had a gun, he is told that he will have to work for two years in order to pay for the dead mule. Later that night, Dave grows concerned with what further consequences may follow. He then decides to jump on a train and leave all his problems behind. Although that last act may be a liberating experience for Dave, it just shows the reader that he is more of a child than a man. He does not wish to accept his punishment, nor does he think of what his family may suffer if he leaves them without paying Jim Hawkins for the mule. A man would face his troubles head on, but Dave is still just a little boy like everyone perceived him to be.
4) The first paragraph in the story gives the reader one glimpse of Dave’s true feelings. He hates the fact that people see him as a child and in order to feel like a man, he begins to pursue the power of a gun. He gets the same treatment from Joe. We can see from those two instances how Dave harbors distaste for those around him who perceive him to be weak and simple. Dave even lies to his mother just so he can get money to buy a weapon. He manipulates her and even when she gives him specific instructions on what he has to do when he purchases the gun, Dave just ignores her. Dave is deceitful and does not care about anyone but himself. I can not sympathize with Dave. If he really wanted to be seen as a man, he needed to abandon those childish reactions that he exhibited to everyone around him. He does not deserve sympathy.
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I do not agree with Katie’s answer to the first question. Even though a majority of us are not used to the dialect used in Richard Wright’s story, it does not, in turn, make the story more enjoyable. It is even harder to read because of the lack of understanding one has towards the actual dialogue. Not only does it pose a problem in understanding what the characters are trying to get across, but it totally diverts your attention from the story itself. I could not concentrate on the plot because I was too focused on trying to understand what Dave was saying. I was trying to pronounce almost every word to see if it had any similarities to the English language I know and use. My brain felt completely wasted away and once I was finished reading, I realized that I gained no form of intelligence whatsoever. Of course challenging one’s mind is very important in order to increase brain activity, but this story did the complete opposite. I must say that Richard Wright did a fabulous job in trying to make the story seem more realistic through African-American dialect, but it just had a negative effect on me.
I do not agree with Courtney’s answer to the second question. The only line within the story that has some relation to Dave saying that every man should have a gun is the last sentence in the first paragraph at the beginning of the story. Dave says, “Shucks, a man oughta hava little gun aftah he done worked hard all day.” I don’t think he literally meant every man. He was referring to himself. If every man had access to a gun, I don’t think Dave would dare go against any one of them. His life would be in danger and, seeing as he was a coward in the story, he’d keep his distance. I also don’t believe that Dave’s ability, or lack thereof, to handle a gun determines if he is a man. Is the most important factor for a man to be considered a man rest in his ability to handle a gun and shoot with his eyes open? I don’t think so. There are other factors, more important factors. The gun makes him feel strong and makes him feel like he has the ability to dictate how he wants to live his life. It offers him the freedom which he feels he can’t attain from living life in the way he is accustomed to. It is his independence, his manhood. To Dave, the gun was his initiation rite. Still, I think he did not ascend into manhood, not in that area of the story.
1. The African- American dialect is very difficult not only to understand, but also to read. I had to read it several times to understand what the story was about. I felt less intelligent. At one point I thought it wasn’t in English at all. In general, the dialect gives us some ideas of the time, people, and the customs. With using this dialect in his story, the author, Richard Wright, makes the reader more concentrated on the dialogue and, in the process, more confused. All together, does the dialect make it authentic? Yes. Did I enjoy it? No. It is very different from the other stories. 2. Power. For Dave the gun was a power which he never had before. For him, he was an African- American boy who came from a small town. He was uneducated and very poor. He shared his family’s misfortune. He wanted others to see him as a man not a child. A man who is strong and can protect his own family. 3. The accidental shooting of Jenny reveals that Dave was just a little uneducated boy, who had no idea what he was doing. Poor Jenny. Dave had the entire field around him, but he had to shoot the poor animal. Why? Because he had no training and he shot her with his eyes closed. Of course, he was scared of his parents and Mr. Hawkins and that, at first, kept him from telling the truth. He tried to lie but he wasn’t even a good liar. After shooting and accidently killing Jenny, he realized that he is going to be punished by his parents and by Mr. Hawkins. He knew that they were going to take his gun away and along with that, they would take his power from him. He had to make a decision. What is he going to do; give them his gun, go back home and work for two years for free or run away, where he can be a man, who makes his own decisions? He made the decision by hiding the gun from his parents and afterward, escaping from them. 4. It is clear from the beginning of the story that this little boy is very hostile and he doesn’t like people around him who are not treating him as a man like he thinks he is. The hostility was the reason why he purchases the gun. He was hostile because of his internal insecurity. He was desperate to do something about his own life. In that town and with his family he knew he would never become something more then he was at that time.
1. Does Wright's use of early African-American dialect make the story a more authentic read for you? It does make the story more authentic. The dialect plays a major role in making this story come to life. Wright’s choice of dialect also helps the reader to easier relate to the main character, David. His thoughts make him seem so immature, and help the reader understand the way people around David view him. He believes he is almost a man but the true adults know better. The way Wright has chosen to write this short story is an extreme help to the reader to jump into the plot. The thoughts of David instantly grab you and throw you back into 1940.
2. What role does the gun play for Dave? Why does he need/want a gun? What are the sources of Dave's needs? David wants and needs the gun so that he can be a man, so to speak. The gun is David’s symbol for power and adulthood. However the gun becomes a metaphor for why David is NOT a man. He needs the money and permission from his mother to get the gun. And after he actually gets the gun, he continues to hide it from his parents like a child and ends up mistakenly shooting a mule. Thus proof that he can not handle the gun or his “adulthood.”
3. What does the accidental shooting of Jenny reveal about Dave? Jenny’s shooting reveals the fact that we already knew. David is still very much a child and unable to properly deal with adult situations. He lies and hides things from the adults and tries to cover up Jenny’s accident. When confronted he breaks down in tears and runs away to prevent working and punishment. David complains because all the adults do is make him work. But he ceases to realize that in real life and in adulthood you are forced to work everyday to provide for your family and yourself. Jenny’s accident reveals that not only is David still immature but that he is also sheltered and does not understand that hard work is how life in this world goes. David runs away to escape adults and become a man but what he is running from is what he supposedly wants: adulthood.
4. What evidence is given in the story to support Dave's rebelliousness or hostility? Do you sympathize with Dave? Dave is rebellious and hostile because he is constantly treated like a child. In the beginning of the story and after Jenny is shot, Wright repeatedly describes the adults, white and black alike, laughing at him ruthlessly. He is treated like a child and called a child by everyone in his world including Joe the shop owner. I do not really sympathize with Dave because he prove the adults correct by lying and plotting stories to decieve the adults and escape punishment. A true mature person would not aim for flashy displays of power and adulthood. They would earn their respect and continue to show through examples of hard work that they deserve to be treated as an adult. They would not throw temper tantrums and sweet talk their mothers in the middle of the kitchen after the family had dispersed. If Dave was a true adult and was still being treated this way I would understand his frustration. But it is clear to see that there is no possible way Dave is ready to handle the real world and support himself.
29 comments:
Please post a response to the following questions concerning Richard Wright's "The Man Who Was Almost a Man." Your responses should be 200-300 words for each question. Please respond to two other student's responses (minimum 200 words).
1. Does Wright's use of early African-American dialect make the story a more authentic read for you?
2. What role does the gun play for Dave? Why does he need/want a gun? What are the sources of Dave's needs?
3. What does the accidental shooting of Jenny reveal about Dave?
4. What evidence is given in the story to support Dave's rebelliousness or hostility? Do you sympathize with Dave?
1) Using the early African-Amercian dialect did make the story more authentic to read because I felt like I was taken to that time period and I could actually put myself in the story while I was reading it. I also think it was authentic because if the story is told from a past period of time, I think it should be written the way that they talked and expressed themself at that time since they are not in our time we can look back and realize that how we express ourselves might be different or even wierd to them.
2)The gun plays the role of a way of becoming a man. It makes Dave feel as he is completely entering his manhood and that people will respect him even if they are older than him because he could be able to scare them and feel power over them. Dave uses the excuse that they need a gun at home because they never know what could happen and since they do not have one at home they would not be prepear for such event.
3)The accidental shooting to the mule reveals that Dave is still at a stage where he is more of a young one instead of a man. He is yet not prepare to be holding such weapon and that he is not emotionally prepare to be shooting things nor others. He still seems as he needs to wait until he has learn more lessons to the adulthood.
4)Dave's rebelliousness is caused by the fact that he is never given anything eventhough he works long hours of the day. Dave is like tied back from everything he has no otpion to spend money on things that he might actually be interested in. I do not sympathize with Dave because he yet was not prepared for manhood and he should not run away from his problems if he was such a man like he said he would have confronted them and instead of getting a beating from his dad he could have had a "man on man" talk.
1. Yes, wrights use of early african american dialet made me feel like i was really there in the story. people don't talk the way the story is written.
2.The gun is a symbol of a boy entering man hood for Dave. Dave wanted to become a man by owning a gun he felt he could be a man and do anything. Dave was saying he could kill any white or black person, so the gun man him feel superiour over other people. Dave sources were that they didnt have one at home for protection, he felt the family needed the gun.
3.The accidental shooting proves that Dave is still a child. Dave is not ready to own a gun he does'nt know what he is cappable of doing. He could have killed a innocent person. he is not emotionallly prepared to have such a big responsibility of owing a gun.
4.Dave's rebellious and hostillity evidence is that he never has money to buy nice things. He works and he has to always put his money on important things. I don't have any sympathy for him because he was young and he didn't know the responsobilities that came along with owning a gun. A gun does not make a man.
1. By Wright's use of early African-American dialect does make the story more authentic. It also gives the reader a sense of truely understanding the story.
2. I believe the gun plays as a safety net for Dave. It's in a way his protector, and it shows his manly persona. He feels that by having this gun he is entering manhood.
3. That deep down inside he is kind but has some internal issues. And that he is indeed far from being a man; that he's still a boy.
4. He was never given a chance in life. It is very easy to sympathize with Dave. However, it didn't appear that he was at all sympathetic.
1) Wright's use of the African- American dialect really did make the story seem more authentic. It helped me put myself into the story. I really enjoyed it because it gave me a glimpse of how people would take back in those days.
2) The gun played the part of Dave's manhood. Dave felt that if he had a gun that the older people would respect him more and be a bit scared of him. He wants the gun so that he could feel better about himself and feel more grown up.
3)The accidental shooting of Jenny revealed that Dave was still a young boy and not yet a man. It showed that, yes, having a gun can make you feel powerful but at the same time having a gun means you need to show responsibility. Dave didn't seem to have the responsibility part down, because he never had anyone show him how to properly shoot a gun.
4) I feel Dave's rebelliousness came from the fact that he worked his butt off and never saw any of the money, proving his hard work. He basicallly felt like he had nothing to show for all of his efforts. I don't exactly sympathize with Dave because he should not have gotten the gun without getting proper training to shoot the gun. He should have showed more responsibility.
1. Wright’s use of the African-American dialect in my opinion did make the story seem more authentic. It helped me understand the story more by being able to imagine myself being in the story.
2. For Dave the gun played the part of his manhood. He felt that owning a gun he could basically do anything and it would help him feel more like a man and have more respect and be seen as a man. He felt that the gun made him unstoppable or more powerful than others. It says that his family does not have one and that he thinks they need one for protection.
3. The accidental shooting of the mule Jenny revealed that Dave was not mature enough for the gun and shows that he is still not that man he is still a boy. He is not ready to have the power of a gun or handle the responsibilities that come with such a powerful and dangerous weapon.
4. Dave is rebellious because he feels that all his work was for nothing the money he earns is spent on important things and because these things are not fun things that he wants he feels that all his hard work and efforts are pointless. I don’t really thing I sympathize with Dave because he obviously was not ready or mature enough to handle a gun or have a gun and he proves that to be true. He is not ready for manhood and he tries to prove that he is by being rebellious and all it does is prove how much he has to learn about responsibility and consequences before he is a man.
1. Wright’s use of early African-American dialect did not make the story a more authentic read for me. It only made the reading more difficult and take much longer than necessary. It was more annoying than helpful with authenticity, I feel like the same point could have been brought across with only a few words of early African-American dialect. I understand the dialogue should be in the early African-American dialect, but I don’t think all the thoughts should’ve been in it too. The narration is in standard dialect and I think it would’ve been more helpful for the entire story except for the dialogue to have been more standard. There were some words in the early African-American dialect that I could not even figure out what they were supposed to be, which is definitely not helpful in making it more authentic if I don’t even know what is being said. I did like the story and the message from it, but I would’ve enjoyed it so much more if it had been easier to read and understand. The struggle I had while reading it actually took away from the story and made me enjoy it less because it was so difficult.
2. The role of the gun for Dave in the story is control. He wants to feel like he is powerful and in control. He also talks about the fact that he is a man, but he talks about it in a way that he has to prove to others that he is a man. He wants the gun because he thinks part of what makes someone a man is being able to fire a gun. It seems like he has to prove to everyone around him that even though he is seventeen, he is responsible and an adult. He also probably wants it because his mother tells him he can’t have it, which normally makes any child want something more when it is breaking the rules. His mother also tells him she takes his money because he’ll buy things he doesn’t need with it, so he hasn’t ever bought anything for himself and would like the gun to be the first. Because he feels like it is such a forbidden item, it makes it more appealing. The sources of Dave’s needs and wants for the gun are pretty much every person around him. Nobody gives him respect and they treat him like a child.
3. The accidental shooting of Jenny reveals a lot about Dave. First of all, it shows he is stupid enough to shoot a gun with no training. Second, it shows that he has an emotional side because he gets upset and hurt. His emotion starts when he first realizes that Jenny is going to bleed to death, and he starts to cry. The shooting also reveals that Dave will lie in stressful times. He wasn’t a very good liar and no one believed him, but he did try to lie to cover up his mistake. When he lied and everyone around laughed in his face, he became even more upset. He cries a lot, and then later becomes angry. When he is feeling angry it shows that he has a competitive and revengeful side to him. All he can think about it getting the gun back and shooting it properly. It seems as if he just has to be able to prove everyone else wrong. His angry side comes out when he actually does go back to get the gun and convinces himself to shoot the last 3 bullets. He just had to prove to everyone that he was powerful and should be respected.
4. Dave’s rebelliousness and hostility is shown in a number of places in the story. He is obviously a rebel from the start. Asking his mother over and over if he could buy a gun and not giving up until she gave in showed some hostility. His rebellion starts when he first gets the gun and doesn’t give it to his mother right away like she had asked. Line 115 in the story says, “He had not come straight home with it as his mother had asked; instead he had stayed out in the fields, holding the weapon in his hand, aiming it now and then at some imaginary foe.” Then, he makes sure he gets home late enough to not have to give up the gun because everyone is asleep. The rebellion is shown again when he takes the gun to work and of course when he shoots it. His hostility is then shown when he gets angry with all the people laughing about what he did. I do not sympathize with Dave because he knew that he was not trained to use a gun and it would not end well especially after his mom had made a big deal about how he shouldn’t have a gun.
I did not enjoy Wright’s use of early African-American dialect. I found it confusing, misleading, and it took away from the story. I struggled with my reading throughout the entire story because I had a very difficult time deciphering what the actual words were. I had to have a friend tell me that Dave and his family was African-American, so the authentic dialogue obviously was not that helpful if it did not provide any clear insight into the ethnicity of the people in the story. Overall, I did not enjoy the author’s use of authentic African-American dialect; you had to take time away from the story just to determine what the story was about. It is possible that I struggled with the story because I am not familiar with African-American dialect. The author should have been aware of this and should have toned down the accents of the characters and made the story more understandable. This is the first time in my life that I have felt less intelligent at the end of a story then at the beginning of the story. I really did like the plot and romanticism of the story, but I do think that it was very poorly written.
Within the story, the gun symbolizes power, confidence, manhood, and independence. Dave has worked and been beaten all his life, just like the mule that was in the story. So when the opportunity came along that he could overcome the oppressing in his life with the power of a gun he went after it without a second thought. Dave felt inferior to those around, whether it was his father or other works on the plantation; the gun was appealing to him because it gave him the confidence to stick up for himself. Many times throughout the story Dave is referred to as a boy or a child. The gun is a right of passage for him that symbolizes that his has achieved the status of a man in the eyes of the society. He wants the gun because he does not feel adequate to stand on his own. In the story, whenever Dave had the gun with him he felt more confident and it almost seemed as if he actually acted more confident. He was neglected and looked down upon his whole life. He never owned anything, never had something that was exclusively his. This gun embodied the control and independence that he had secretly yearned for.
In the story, Dave is eager to try out his new gun. He walks out into the woods, far away from the farm so that no one can hear him. He then takes out his gun and begins examining and testing out the gun. Finally, he musters up the courage to fire his new deadly weapon. He soon realized the destructive power of this weapon firsthand. He had accidently shot the mule, Jenny. He felt horrible for what he had done, at first he felt sad and guilty, but then it turned into fear of begin caught. He tried to cover up his wicked deed. When he was confronted with what had happened he lied and deceived. This showed that he was neither honest, nor intelligent, nor was his trustworthy. Later that night he lay in bed pondering the events that had taken place earlier. He felt no remorse or sadness, he was only concerned with the individually consequences that would affect him. This showed that he did not have morals or values, and the fact that he did not own up to his punishment showed his cowardice and in ability to do what is right. At the end of the story, Dave jumps on a train and runs away from his problems, this drives home the characteristics of fear and spinelessness.
There are several instances in the story that lend insight to the true nature of Dave, and every time he is confronted with an obstacle we catch a glimpse at his true nature. When Dave is walking to Joe’s store, he gives evidence that he hates being picked on and he gives the impression that he would love to be able to bully, pick on, and have power over those who had wronged him in some way. When he is talking to his mother about the gun, he uses his deceptive nature to cohort her into giving him what he wants. Once he gets permission from his mother and obtains that gun, he went against his mothers specifically commands because of his own selfish nature. After the killing of the horses he does not feel guilty, but instead he feels anger and even hatred. This shows that he has deep seeded emotional issues that brought him to make his decision at the end of the story. Finally, near the end of the story Dave wishes that he had just one cartridge left to shoot at Jim Hawkins’ plantation, just to show him who the boss was. This shows that he had a desire to have power and to pick on those who were helpless to him. I do not sympathize with Dave.
I agree with Olivia on number one because I found the use of the early African-American dialect confusing, misleading, and it took away from the story. I struggled with my reading throughout the entire story because I had a very difficult time deciphering what the actual words were. I had to have a friend tell me that Dave and his family was African-American, so the authentic dialogue obviously was not that helpful if it did not provide any clear insight into the ethnicity of the people in the story. Overall, I did not enjoy the author’s use of authentic African-American dialect; you had to take time away from the story just to determine what the story was about. It is possible that I struggled with the story because I am not familiar with African-American dialect. The author should have been aware of this and should have toned down the accents of the characters and made the story more understandable. This is the first time in my life that I have felt less intelligent at the end of a story then at the beginning of the story. I really did like the plot and romanticism of the story, but I do think that it was very poorly written.
I agree with Caitlin on question two because within the story, the gun symbolizes power, confidence, manhood, and independence. Dave has worked and been beaten all his life, just like the mule that was in the story. So when the opportunity came along that he could overcome the oppressing in his life with the power of a gun he went after it without a second thought. Dave felt inferior to those around, whether it was his father or other works on the plantation; the gun was appealing to him because it gave him the confidence to stick up for himself. Many times throughout the story Dave is referred to as a boy or a child. The gun is a right of passage for him that symbolizes that his has achieved the status of a man in the eyes of the society. He wants the gun because he does not feel adequate to stand on his own. In the story, whenever Dave had the gun with him he felt more confident and it almost seemed as if he actually acted more confident. He was neglected and looked down upon his whole life. He never owned anything, never had something that was exclusively his. This gun embodied the control and independence that he had secretly yearned for.
1. Wright's use of early African-American dialect makes the story more authentic to read for me because I can have fun with the way it's written and pay more attention to what they are trying to say since it's not your everyday speech. The dialect also helped me picture the story in my head. It was somewhat hard to understand at first but once I got further into it, it got easier to understand. The story made me think to myself, "wow I can't believe people actually talked like that."
2. The gun shows manhood for Dave. He thinks that if he had a gun he would be a man and be intimidating. Dave tells his mother that they need the gun just in case something bad happens.
3. The shooting of Jenny reveals that Dave isn't ready to be a man and that he is just a kid. He doesn't know anything about guns.
4. Dave was rebellious through out the story. He wouldn't take no for an answer and he didnt listen to one word his mother said. Not once but twice he rebelled and disobeyed his elders. The first time he rebelled he shot a mule and the second time was where he shot the last 3 shots in the gun and still had the thought that he was a man and thought he could handle the responsibilities.
oh i forgot.
i do have sympathy for Dave when it came to working and not getting a share of his own money but the gun is a whole other story.
I agree with Caitlin on number 4. He earned that money and he never got a dime of it. But having a gun doesn't prove anything with manhood and he was not ready to handle a gun.
I also like Marlene's answer to Number 1. We look back and say oh my gosh who talks like that? and if those people were living today and saw how we talked they would probably be the same way.
1.)Author Richard Wright's use of the early African American dialect in the story "The Man Who Was Almost A Man" indeed did make the story more authentic. From Dave's first words, the reader is immediately sucked into his world. The use of the words such as "whutcha",
"mistah", and "git" makes the reader more quickly attach themselves to that setting in that specific time period. As a reader, from the beginning to the end, I felt that I could really picture all the characters, from Dave to Mr.. Hawkins, during all of the conversations that they had" it helped me to understand what things were like in that era and as a result it allowed me to understand the story even more than if it had been written without the early African American dialect. For example, when Jim Hawkins and some of his men discovered Jenny's dead body at the field and then questioned Dave about it, the word choice , which was written in that specific dialect, was extremely powerful because you feel a sense of compassion for Dave even though he was responsible for the mule's death; the dialect made an enormous difference when Dave tried to explain himself. Without the specific language and dialect that was used not only would the story not have been as completely authentic as it was, but it also would not have been as appealing and interesting.
2.)In the story "The Man Who Was Almost A Man", Dave is percieved as a young boy with many frustrations, frustrations which can be proven within the first few sentences, " Ah ain scarda them even ef they are biggern me!" It seems that he not only feels this was way in his workplace on the field but also in his home; when he returned to his home after getting the catalogue from Joe his mother repeatedly yelled at him and even "grabbed his shoulder and pushed him". The ownership of the gun, in Dave's eyes, would make him more of a man, more of a grown up in the eyes of others,, and ultimately earn him more respect from others. From the very beginning of the story Dave talks about owning a gun and feeling like he really needs one because he is "almost seventeen. Almost a man." In his mind, every man should have and own a gun, almost assuming that the gun is a type of right of passage for a young man. Although he purchases the gun to make himself feel more like a man instead of a sixteen year old boy, the reason behind the purchase, in the end, falls through because when he is confronted about the shooting of the mule, he returns back to acting his own age instead of a grown man.
3.) In the story, "A Man Who Was Almost A Man" Dave, a sixteen year old boy with many frustrations, has his mind set on purchasing a gun because in his mind he feels that a gun will bring him more respect and make him feel more like a man,"one of these days he was going to get a gun and practice shooting, then they couldn't talk to him as though he were a little boy." He continued to thing and feel this way after the purchase of the gun from Joe at the store, but his tough persona came to a screeching halt when he unintentionally shot a mule, which was owned by his boss Mr. Hawkins. After the accidental shooting, Dave let go of his ideas about being a full-fledged man and went back to acting the way a sixteen year old would act in that exact situation; frightened and worried. When he was confronted at the field by his parents, Mr. Hawkin's, and some of his men, he acted just like any boy would act,"Dave cried, seeing blurred white and black faces." The accidental shooting of Jenny reveals that Dave was not entirely ready to grow up and be a man; the situaition overwhelmed him and brought him back to reality and back to who he really is.
4.) Dave's rebelliousness and hostility is shown throughout most of the story. From the very beginning it is quite obvious to see that he has a hostility towards those who do not treat him like the man that he thinks he is. That hostility and anger is one of the reasons why he purchases the gun. Along with the hostility, he also has moments when he tends to act out in rebellious ways; after the discovery of the dead mule he reached for the gun, and ran awaywith it even though he was aware of the trouble ahead of him from his family , especially his father. Dave, in parts of the story does not always make the wise choice or decision, for example when he purchases the gun and does not return home right after like his mother told him to, but I do sympathize with him because at the end of the day he is just a young boy. He tries to prove to himself that he is a man, but when he makes mistakes, he responds to them the way a sixteen year old might. While I do believe that that what he did was wrong, his punishment, the beating of his father as well as the work that he has ahead of him on the field for two years, makes me sympathize for him even more.
1. Wright’s use of early African-American dialect does give the story a more authentic read. The dialect also allows you to see the ethnicity of the characters, where the characters might live, what time period it is , the different emotions the characters are feeling While the dialect gives away much information it makes the story more a challenge to read. I found myself struggling with the dialect at first then talking with an accent towards the end. I felt like I had traveled to the time where this story takes place and could hear and picture them in my mind.
2. Dave believes every man should have a gun. Dave believes that since he is seventeen he is almost a man and is old enough to have a one. At the beginning of the story Dave talks about how he is going to get a gun and start practice shooting and then the people out in the field couldn’t talk to him as if they he was a little boy anymore. It’s like the commercial for “pull ups” they say “I’m a big boy now” because when a child is being pottied trained they are constantly being told “you’re a big boy/girl”. I think Dave wants to be seen as a man and he’s tired of being a little boy but he just proves to himself and everyone else that he isn’t a man because he can’t handle a gun yet.
3. The accidental shooting of Jenny, the Mr.Hawkin’s Mule, proves that Dave isn’t a man and he isn’t ready for a gun. Dave wasn’t mature to follow his mothers orders when she told him to bring the gun straight back home after he purchased it from Joe. Dave wasn’t strong enough or educated enough to be handling a gun. When Dave shot the gun he closed his eyes clearly showing his lack of knowledge about gun safety. Dave was still acting like a child and making childish decisions. Dave knew nothing about the gun and had no reason to own a gun. Dave wanted it like a child wants a candy bar and he spent his hard earned money on a gun and ended up just owing Mr. Hawkin’s 50 dollars for a dead mule.
4. I believe Dave is being rebellious since he is continuously hiding things throughout the story from his mom and his father. Dave’s Dad s obviously not someone who is easily persuaded and seems pretty firm since Dave would not ask his mom for the two dollars while his father was in the room. Dave goes to the store at the beginning of the story prepared to buy a gun without his mother’s knowledge and later after he consults with his mother about it he still lies to her about what he did with the gun. Dave finds it hard to be honest throughout the story even after he shoots Jenny. Dave fails to ever tell the truth until his mom asks him where the gun is while Jenny is being buried. I don’t sympathize with Dave because he failed to listens to the directions given to him. He wanted to feel the gun, shoot the gun, and be sneaky and therefore he has to deal with the consequences.
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I agree with Caitlin about how he convinced himself a gun would make him more powerful than others. I believe that he also used the fact that his family didn't have a gun just to persuade his mom into letting him get one, just like he says he would give the gun to his mom so she could give it to his Pa because he needed on. I also agree with Olivia on her number two where she basically says that Dave wants the gun because everyone around him treats him like a child and since children can't have guns he thinks owning one will again, prove he is a man.
Most people agreed that Dave was rebellious. I like the point Katie makes about how Dave was still rebellious even after he kills the mule. Dave lies about where he hides the gun and tells his father he hid it in the creek when really he buried it by a tree in the woods where he had shot Jenny on accident. Dave continues to disobey his parents and sneaks out to go dig up and gun and then he proceeded to he shoot the gun again. Dave's actions prove he is not a man like the rest of his actions throughout the story. He didn't learn from his mistake and he was still irresponsible.
I agree with Nick on question number two. The gun really symbolizes a lot of things to Dave in the story. Things such as power, control, and becoming a man, are all important things to Dave that he feels like he does not have. The gun is the only option in his eyes to achieve these things. He also gets himself so worked up over wanting it, it seems to be all he cares about or thinks about. I especially like that Nick points out how Dave changes when he gets the gun. When he is in possession of the gun, he obviously feels more confident even if it’s just around himself. I also agree that it is almost shoved down his throat that he is not a man. Nick says, “Many times throughout the story Dave is referred to as a boy or a child. The gun is a right of passage for him that symbolizes that his has achieved the status of a man in the eyes of the society.” I think this is very true because he obviously doesn’t appreciate being treated like a child. He feels like he doesn’t receive any respect, he is looked down upon because he is considered to be a child.
I agree with Caitlin on question number four. Dave is rebellious and proves how immature he is by hiding the gun from his parents and shooting it when no one was around. He shows that he is absolutely not ready to be a man by rebelling enough to actually shoot the gun the first time. When he goes back because he’s hostile and gets the gun to shoot again, he’s definitely not being responsible. I like the last part of Caitlin’s response that says, “He is not ready for manhood and he tries to prove that he is by being rebellious and all it does is prove how much he has to learn about responsibility and consequences before he is a man.” We both stated in our responses that he proves that he is not mature enough to have or handle a gun. Both the hostility and rebellion that Dave shows, only confirms how much of a child he really still is and how much he doesn’t deserve to have his own money. He would obviously not handle his own money well and would just buy things he didn’t need.
I agree but also disagree a bit with Olivia's answer to the first question. I do
have to admit that it was hard to understand the story in the beginnging
because of the dialect that was used and I did have to read it a bit slower than I usually read
other stories because some of the words were hard to understand, but the word choice is exactly what made the story more authentic. It is a bit harder to read, but the dialect takes
the reader back to that specific time period. I think that the story would not be the same without the use of the early African- American dialect. It made the story more interesting;I really liked the story and I think that it would have been completely boring without it. I was not expecting that kind of word choice when I first started reading it, but after finishing it I realized that it made the story even better.
On the other hand, I completely agree with Olivia's response with her answer to question number four. When I wrote my response to the question I was completely convinced that I completely sympathized with Dave, he had done something wrong and was going to be severely punished for it, but after reading her response I changed my mind. Dave should have known that what he was doing was dangerous and should have thought about any possible consequences that could result from his actions. Dave is sixteen and is old enough to know what is right and what is wrong. He was not responsible enough to have it and as a result he got into trouble by both his work boss and his parents. I think that when I was writing my response to the question his age slipped my mind: I kept picturing someone younger in my mind as I was responding for some reason.I still do feel sorry for him, but he really should have known better.
1. I thought that the dialect from the story was rather difficult to understand, and I did not enjoy reading it at all. I felt the same when I first read this story several years ago. I had trouble with a few words that took me a while to understand, which then became frustrating. I actually enjoy reading the story very much but the dialect kind of ruined my mood for it. However, I do think that it greatly differentiated the social class and race system at that time because the way Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Joe spoke is more proper than Dave and his family. It also showed the importance of racism at that time, and the struggle of an individual in life.
2. The gun plays the role of maturity and manhood, which is everything that Dave is not. It also plays a powerful tool in which Dave desperately needs in order to gain respect from other people. Dave also feels that he should be considered as a man rather than a boy, since other people around him addressed him as a boy. An example of this is from page 334 when Mr. Joe said “You ain’t nothing but a boy. You don’t need a gun.” Since everyone doesn’t think that he is mature enough, Dave thought that owning a gun is an opportunity in which he can prove to those around him that he is mature, that he is a man, and that he is responsible enough. Dave’s earnings are always taken away from him, so he doesn’t have the money to buy this gun. He knows that he can only go to his mother for the money because he is afraid that his father might beat him. This is typical in a family where the child doesn’t always get what they want.
3. The accidental shooting of the mule revealed that after all, Dave isn't mature like how he thought. He might think that he is a man but he is not. It also revealed that Dave is still inexperienced, therefore he is still a boy.
4. Dave's rebelliousness and hostility or hostility is shown from the very beginning of the story because the people around him would call him a little boy, and even put him down, like when Richard Wright wrote "Whut's the use of talkin wid them niggers in the field?"...Them niggers can't understand nothing. One of these days he was going to get a gun and practice shooting, then they couldn't talk to him as though he were a little boy." I actually do sympathize with Dave because all he wanted to do was to prove to others that he is a mature man at the age of seventeen, and not a boy. In the end he did made a mistake and realized his consequences.
I agree with Nick and Olivia about the dialect. It can be difficult to understand since it is not something that I am exposed to on a daily basis. I think that the narration can already explain it without a whole page's worth of the early African American dialect.
I also agree with Courtney about number 3, about the lack of maturity and education in Dave. His lack of education and experience is probably one of the main points which caused Dave to make such decisions in the story.
1. Wright's use of early African-American dialect did make the story more authentic for me toread. When I first began reading the story "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" I was confused by the new dialect. I recently read a book about a young woman who was from Liberia, called "The House at Sugar Beach" and there was dialect in that book, but it was much easier to read. I had to re-read a few sentences to pick up on this dialect and get used to it. After I got used to the way in which this dialect was meant to be read, I feel that it helped me to understand the situation and time that this story is set in, which is a critical thing to understand in stories. If you don't pick up on the setting, you can get completely the wrong idea about it. I also found the dialect helped me understand how Dave's mind and thought processes worked a little better than I might have had it been written without the dialect. As a theatre major, I am always looking for ways to better understand people and thier motives. I found that this dialect helped me better understand Dave and his actions through being able to hear how he thinks and how he reacts to his thoughts.(222)
2. I was a little confused as to what role the gun played for Dave. I thought that it might represent anything to him.The gun might represent respect. Perhaps he hopes to earn, or scare people into respecting him because he owns a gun. Maybe this way no one will make fun of him anymore. It might represent power. The power he feels when it is in his hands, the power that others take away from him. It might also represent being a "man."
This seems to be a common theme in the story. He feels that others don't take him seriously. Although he is only seventeen, he argues with his mother about being a man, and gives this as a reason that he ought to have the gun. When he leaves he says he ought to shoot at Mr. Hawkins' house to " let im know Dave Saunders is a man." The gun also might represent freedom. Instead of taking the gun back to Joe as his mother tells him to, he takes it out shooting and then hops on a train out of town. He goes thinking he is going "somewhere where he could be a man." The gun may represent any and all of these things to Dave. (209)
3. The accidental shooting of Jenny reveals a few things about Dave. I think that at first he is shock that he may of shot her. He is suprised to see the blood and even questions "Wondah did Ah shoot this mule?" He panics when he sees how servere the wound is. He tries to comfort her and plug the wound with dirt to stop the bleeding. Clearly he wants to help, but is trying to find a solution that will also keep him out of trouble. He used dirt to try to clog the wound. This doesn't work. He tries again, but realizes that his action is causing the mule to bleed to death. He still doesn't go to get help for fear of being in trouble, but tries to comfort her more until she dies, and then immeadatly goes to cover up the evidence. He tries to come up quickly with some story to explain the dead mule, but comes up with a story that he knows is ridiculous for lack of any other explanation that wasn't the truth. He continues to tell the story "he knew nobody believed," even when his parents were present. It takes his mother basically telling on him and his father threating him for him to fess up. He doesn't want to tell the story for two reasons in my opinion : one, he doesn't want to have the gun taken away from him and two, he doesn't want to be punished by either Mister Hawkins or his father. So in all, it shows his remorse, his desperation, his embarrasement and his shame. (266)
4. Evidence that is given in the story to support Dave's rebelliousness or hostility includes several things. The first article of evidence is found in his thought process at the begining of the story. His thoughts run wild on how others don't respect him and on how they must not know anything and how if he had a gun they wouldn't talk to him like a child, but would see that he was a man. More evidence of his rebelliousness is when he continues to look at the catalogue after being warned several times to set it aside throughout dinner. Other evidence of his rebelliousness is shown when he waits to corner his mother with the issue of buying the gun instead of asking his father. He knows that his father will say no, so he asked the person he thinks he can manipulate into saying yes. He shows more evidence of rebellion when he continually lies about what happened to Jenny. I am not to believe that he thought he was being rebellious or that he was intionally being difficult or devious. I sympathize with Dave's situation yes. I think that anytime you feel that you are not in control of your life or the actions that you have to do on a day to day basis, that you are a definate path to frustration or rebelliousness. I would like to think that I would of reacted a different way as well. My philosophy on that however is that you never really know how you are going to react until you find yourself in that situation. (276)
I agree with Courntey's take on the dialect. "authentic" is a very good, discriptive word. I wish I had thought of it. I am glad to know that I am not the only one that struggled with it at first. I agree that it helped me "travel" to that distinct setting. I always enjoy this in stories. I am confused by Nick's response to the dialect however. It is difficult for me to understand how the same element that drew me into the story and character was found misleading by another. Not only that, but that they felt "it took away from the story." I understand that it was frustrating at first, but for me at least, after you read it a bit, it was quite easy to get through. I felt that there was something new learned about the way that culture interacted in that time period. I am also confused when the author is expected to take into account that someone might not understand the dialect. I don't think that an author or artist of any kind should have to sensor themselves to society's understanding. I think that misses the point of writing, or painting or any other art form. To me the point is to expand your mind and others and I feel that this story did just that.
1. Does Wright's use of early African-American dialect make the story a more authentic read for you?
Yes, it does. It would seem incredibly artificial for the characters to speak in a manner that did not reflect the culture and time period. If the conversation in the stare had proceeded as:
“Hello David, Is there anything that you desire?”
“Hello Joseph, I'm not currently interested in making purchases; I am only interested in perusing that Sears and Roebuck catalog that you keep in the store.”
That would have seemed artificial and detracted from the story. Its' effectiveness is in that it reveals the nature of Dave as an illustration of an archetype of the time and culture, and the accurate portrayal of speech patterns is important to this purpose.
2. What role does the gun play for Dave? Why does he need/want a gun? What are the sources of Dave's needs?
The gun is a means of security and power to Dave. It is a means of gaining advantage over others. This is evidenced in his thinking process by: “One of these days he was going to get a gun and practice shooting, then they couldn't talk to him as if he were a little boy.” and “and if he was holding a gun in his hand, nobody could run over him, they would have to respect him.” (Wright).
Dave's inherent insecurity is revealed by the fact that he has to tell himself that he is not afraid of things. He tells himself that he is not afraid of the “niggers in the field”, and again when firing the gun the first time. It is also revealed in the way he avoids his mother after buying the gun. “he stayed out in the field until they were all asleep” (Wright).
3. What does the accidental shooting of Jenny reveal about Dave?
The shooting of Jenny reveals that Dave is intrinsically irresponsible. He is so wrapped up in what he is doing that he does not consider possible consequences to others. He doesn't even pay attention to the direction he is facing when he shoots.
He also begins by lying to try to cover it up, even though he knows that he won't be believed. This fore knowledge is shown by his statement that he got off easier than he thought he would (Wright). This seems to me to be the behavior of some one who is in the habit of lying. It is typical of the same behavior I myself exhibited when I was commonly lying.
4. What evidence is given in the story to support Dave's rebelliousness or hostility? Do you sympathize with Dave?
His rebelliousness is first evidenced in the fact that he decides to address the issue of wanting a gun with his mother rather than his father. I believe that he goes about it in this way because he knows what his fathers response will be. I believe this because when I was about 17 I would avoid dealing with my mother over certain things because I knew what her reaction on those issues would be.
His hostility is evidenced by his desire to get even with the “field niggers”, his desire to scare Mister Hawkins,
Many of the posters said that they do not sympathize. but I agree with Mireya Gallegos when she said, "but I do sympathize with him because at the end of the day he is just a young boy. He tries to prove to himself that he is a man, but when he makes mistakes, he responds to them the way a sixteen year old might. While I do believe that that what he did was wrong, his punishment, the beating of his father as well as the work that he has ahead of him on the field for two years, makes me sympathize for him even more."
Dave has not actually been taught what "being a man" is about. He has had to come up with his own Ideas and sdefinitions, and has come up with not being pushed around. Not having a father in high school, and fy father not being kind, loving, comunicative, or open in the early years when he was there; I understand and sympathize with Dave's decicions. I only know that his decicions are wrong today because of simular mistakes in my past and being fortunate enough to have met men, like Tom Hardy, who were kind enough, patient enough, wise enough, and loving enough to teach me what my father was unable to.
Dave is the typical young country boy. He feels he is becoming a man. He wants to display his manhood by being tough. He works a job and thinks he is responsible enough to purchase and own a gun. Dave's mother doesn't believe he is responsible enough. She even receives his pay from his job.
Dave seems to have ego issues. He is small but has a big personality, very macho. He feels the only way to establish himself is to have a gun to feel no fear from anybody. After killing Mr.Hawkins' mule he was in a lot of trouble. The mule was dead and now everybody knew about it. Dave couldn't hide this one. Everyone put Dave in the spotlight (center of attention). His parents was all over his ass now.
The truth was out, now Dave being the man he thought he was has to pay for a dead mule and give up the gun he wanted so badly. All this pressure and embarrasment pushed Dave to his limit. He felt his time had come for him to really be a man and start fresh somewhere else. Now Dave (a wandering man) had a gun with no bullets and a heart full of tenacious pride.
1.I agree that Wright's early African-American dialect made the story more authentic for me.It also had an originality thing going because of the way the story was put.This made me feel as if I were in that time or had some type of connection with writer and people in this story.
2.I believe that the gun is only there as a comfort for Dave.With him having the gun,it symbolizes his manhood.
3.This incident only shows that Dave is not mature and should not be allowed a weapon that can harm others.Dave was just not ready for something like that;nor,was he responsible.
4.I in someway show some sympathy for Dave because before you are given a gun I think there should be safety precautions taken.I mean it is very obvious that Dave was indeedd not ready for the gun because he wasn't responsible enoough.But,who is to say that he should be held responsible of the damage he done.The actions that he petrayed before-hand in the story should show he wasn't ready for the gun,so I strongly believe that you he really can't take full responsibility;although,he does know right from wrong.Dave just had a lot going on in my opinion and really didn't know how to handle it,so he acted out in the wrong way with being rebellious and hostile.
1. I found that the use of the african american dialect quite interesting. I thought that the way that they talked quite interesting. It wasn't at all difficult to understand for me. The words were only spelt a little differently then they are now. I think that Wright's use of the accent was pretty decent. Most writers that i've read do a very poor job. Also most say not to even attempt to do so because of the fact that it might draw away from the story. In this case it only adds to it.
2. The gun is a very important part of Dave's life at this time. He's at 17 and he thinks that he's a man. Being a man is represented by the gun. He sees that now that he's a man that he should have one. That a gun would show to everybody how much of a man he was. He wants to show that he is such because of the way he's made fun of and picked on, or being treated like a child. In his mind he figures that once he as this almighty weapon that everybody will start treating him like what he deems that a man should be treated. In order to get one he asks his mother convincing her that the house needs a gun and that it would be his fathers and that he needed a gun. Even to do this Dave knew that his Father wouldn't fall for such words and like a child he went to the easier parent to wheedle his way into a weapon.
3. The accidental shooting of Jenny shows that Dave is rather idiotic and irresponsible. Common sense dictates that you shouldn't close your eyes when aiming something especially as dangerous as a gun. Not even knowing where he was shooting at was reckless and shouldn't be disregarded just because he didn't know that much about a gun. This also shows that Dave is truelly still a child, especially when he lies about what happened to Jenny afterwards. A man supposidly would take responsibility for his actions not try and cover them up like Dave did. He doesn't take responsibility for his actions which also proves that he wasn't really ready for a gun or any sort of adult thing and his mother is smart for keeping his money from him.
4. Evidence to he is rebellious is obviously when he argues with his mother over the matter of the gun. Then when he was going to get it after getting his way he ignored her as she called after him. Then he deliberly disobeyed her when he didn't come directly home after buying it and giving it to her so that she could give it to his Father. Instead he stays out really late till he knows that his family is all asleep. He tries to avoid his mother when she asks about the gun. Then he lies about where the gun is so that he doesnt have to give it to her. Some examples of his hostility is his thoughts on how he's treated around the farm and after the shooting of Jenny. I dont particularly sympathize with Dave at all. He just seems a bit childish and selfish. He wants to be a man without taking on any of the responsibility that comes with it.
1) Wright’s use of early African-American dialect does add originality to the story. However, while reading the conversations, I found it very difficult to understand what it was that the characters were saying. At certain points in the story, I sometimes forgot what it was the characters were saying because I was more focused on being able to understand what I was reading rather than where the plot was headed. Envisioning the story was just as complicating. Usually whenever I read a story, I can picture the events as if I was watching a movie, but, once more, my concentration was on the dialect. It was too distracting.
2) Dave was a young African-American boy who worked in the fields of a rich white man. That’s all his life added up to. The gun served as an escape for Dave so that he could feel as if he had some kind of power over his life. He was always being oppressed, whether it was from his fellow workers on the fields or his own family. With a gun, Dave felt a sort of freedom that he could not attain. Throughout the story, it is mentioned that Dave is seen as just a boy. Everyone sees him as a child. The gun was his way of showing them all that he was a man, or at least in the process of becoming one. He wanted to show them that he was a man.
3) Once Dave takes Jenny out into the woods, his anticipation to fire the weapon starts to overflow. He closes his eyes and fires the gun. Upon opening his eyes, he sees that he has shot the mule. He gets very scared and fears that he will get caught. When he gets questioned, he lies to Jim Hawkins and his own family. When it is revealed to everyone that Dave had a gun, he is told that he will have to work for two years in order to pay for the dead mule. Later that night, Dave grows concerned with what further consequences may follow. He then decides to jump on a train and leave all his problems behind. Although that last act may be a liberating experience for Dave, it just shows the reader that he is more of a child than a man. He does not wish to accept his punishment, nor does he think of what his family may suffer if he leaves them without paying Jim Hawkins for the mule. A man would face his troubles head on, but Dave is still just a little boy like everyone perceived him to be.
4) The first paragraph in the story gives the reader one glimpse of Dave’s true feelings. He hates the fact that people see him as a child and in order to feel like a man, he begins to pursue the power of a gun. He gets the same treatment from Joe. We can see from those two instances how Dave harbors distaste for those around him who perceive him to be weak and simple. Dave even lies to his mother just so he can get money to buy a weapon. He manipulates her and even when she gives him specific instructions on what he has to do when he purchases the gun, Dave just ignores her. Dave is deceitful and does not care about anyone but himself. I can not sympathize with Dave. If he really wanted to be seen as a man, he needed to abandon those childish reactions that he exhibited to everyone around him. He does not deserve sympathy.
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I do not agree with Katie’s answer to the first question. Even though a majority of us are not used to the dialect used in Richard Wright’s story, it does not, in turn, make the story more enjoyable. It is even harder to read because of the lack of understanding one has towards the actual dialogue. Not only does it pose a problem in understanding what the characters are trying to get across, but it totally diverts your attention from the story itself. I could not concentrate on the plot because I was too focused on trying to understand what Dave was saying. I was trying to pronounce almost every word to see if it had any similarities to the English language I know and use. My brain felt completely wasted away and once I was finished reading, I realized that I gained no form of intelligence whatsoever. Of course challenging one’s mind is very important in order to increase brain activity, but this story did the complete opposite. I must say that Richard Wright did a fabulous job in trying to make the story seem more realistic through African-American dialect, but it just had a negative effect on me.
I do not agree with Courtney’s answer to the second question. The only line within the story that has some relation to Dave saying that every man should have a gun is the last sentence in the first paragraph at the beginning of the story. Dave says, “Shucks, a man oughta hava little gun aftah he done worked hard all day.” I don’t think he literally meant every man. He was referring to himself. If every man had access to a gun, I don’t think Dave would dare go against any one of them. His life would be in danger and, seeing as he was a coward in the story, he’d keep his distance. I also don’t believe that Dave’s ability, or lack thereof, to handle a gun determines if he is a man. Is the most important factor for a man to be considered a man rest in his ability to handle a gun and shoot with his eyes open? I don’t think so. There are other factors, more important factors. The gun makes him feel strong and makes him feel like he has the ability to dictate how he wants to live his life. It offers him the freedom which he feels he can’t attain from living life in the way he is accustomed to. It is his independence, his manhood. To Dave, the gun was his initiation rite. Still, I think he did not ascend into manhood, not in that area of the story.
1. The African- American dialect is very difficult not only to understand, but also to read. I had to read it several times to understand what the story was about. I felt less intelligent. At one point I thought it wasn’t in English at all. In general, the dialect gives us some ideas of the time, people, and the customs.
With using this dialect in his story, the author, Richard Wright, makes the reader more concentrated on the dialogue and, in the process, more confused. All together, does the dialect make it authentic? Yes. Did I enjoy it? No. It is very different from the other stories.
2. Power. For Dave the gun was a power which he never had before. For him, he was an African- American boy who came from a small town. He was uneducated and very poor. He shared his family’s misfortune. He wanted others to see him as a man not a child. A man who is strong and can protect his own family.
3. The accidental shooting of Jenny reveals that Dave was just a little uneducated boy, who had no idea what he was doing. Poor Jenny. Dave had the entire field around him, but he had to shoot the poor animal. Why? Because he had no training and he shot her with his eyes closed. Of course, he was scared of his parents and Mr. Hawkins and that, at first, kept him from telling the truth. He tried to lie but he wasn’t even a good liar.
After shooting and accidently killing Jenny, he realized that he is going to be punished by his parents and by Mr. Hawkins. He knew that they were going to take his gun away and along with that, they would take his power from him. He had to make a decision. What is he going to do; give them his gun, go back home and work for two years for free or run away, where he can be a man, who makes his own decisions? He made the decision by hiding the gun from his parents and afterward, escaping from them.
4. It is clear from the beginning of the story that this little boy is very hostile and he doesn’t like people around him who are not treating him as a man like he thinks he is. The hostility was the reason why he purchases the gun.
He was hostile because of his internal insecurity. He was desperate to do something about his own life. In that town and with his family he knew he would never become something more then he was at that time.
1. Does Wright's use of early African-American dialect make the story a more authentic read for you?
It does make the story more authentic. The dialect plays a major role in making this story come to life. Wright’s choice of dialect also helps the reader to easier relate to the main character, David. His thoughts make him seem so immature, and help the reader understand the way people around David view him. He believes he is almost a man but the true adults know better. The way Wright has chosen to write this short story is an extreme help to the reader to jump into the plot. The thoughts of David instantly grab you and throw you back into 1940.
2. What role does the gun play for Dave? Why does he need/want a gun? What are the sources of Dave's needs?
David wants and needs the gun so that he can be a man, so to speak. The gun is David’s symbol for power and adulthood. However the gun becomes a metaphor for why David is NOT a man. He needs the money and permission from his mother to get the gun. And after he actually gets the gun, he continues to hide it from his parents like a child and ends up mistakenly shooting a mule. Thus proof that he can not handle the gun or his “adulthood.”
3. What does the accidental shooting of Jenny reveal about Dave?
Jenny’s shooting reveals the fact that we already knew. David is still very much a child and unable to properly deal with adult situations. He lies and hides things from the adults and tries to cover up Jenny’s accident. When confronted he breaks down in tears and runs away to prevent working and punishment. David complains because all the adults do is make him work. But he ceases to realize that in real life and in adulthood you are forced to work everyday to provide for your family and yourself. Jenny’s accident reveals that not only is David still immature but that he is also sheltered and does not understand that hard work is how life in this world goes. David runs away to escape adults and become a man but what he is running from is what he supposedly wants: adulthood.
4. What evidence is given in the story to support Dave's rebelliousness or hostility? Do you sympathize with Dave?
Dave is rebellious and hostile because he is constantly treated like a child. In the beginning of the story and after Jenny is shot, Wright repeatedly describes the adults, white and black alike, laughing at him ruthlessly. He is treated like a child and called a child by everyone in his world including Joe the shop owner. I do not really sympathize with Dave because he prove the adults correct by lying and plotting stories to decieve the adults and escape punishment. A true mature person would not aim for flashy displays of power and adulthood. They would earn their respect and continue to show through examples of hard work that they deserve to be treated as an adult. They would not throw temper tantrums and sweet talk their mothers in the middle of the kitchen after the family had dispersed. If Dave was a true adult and was still being treated this way I would understand his frustration. But it is clear to see that there is no possible way Dave is ready to handle the real world and support himself.
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