As we grow, our parents teach us life lessons to prepare us for adulthood. Depending on how we choose to approach these lessons, we may or may not understand how to achieve a mature way of acting. In the story "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" by Richard Wright, the narrator, Dave Saunders, had very little guidance on how to be an adult and wanted nothing more than to be one. Dave had not been adequately taught essential information about how to be responsible or be familiar with social norms. Dave Saunders' parents were uneducated and raised Dave to be the same way. Knowing the specifics of how to be an adult is acquired knowledge. As a result, Dave shows the reader that he is unaware of what separates a “boy” from a “man” and a “girl” from a “woman.” Dave grew up in a society that taught him to have a negative view of his youth. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In Wright's tale, the narrator and those around him had a very negative view of youth. “One of these days he was going to get a gun and practice shooting, but then they couldn't talk to him like he was a kid” (Wright). This quote from the story is an example of how Dave felt. This pessimistic environment led Dave to feel helpless and weak. With the right lesson from his parents, Dave might have known how to deal with his emotions. He might as well have learned the value of his actions. As the story begins, Dave goes to talk to a store owner, Joe. Dave explains that he wants a gun and Joe offers to sell him one. Dave wanted to own a gun because of the feeling of weakness inside him. He felt he needed something to make him feel more virile and more adult. He wanted it not only for himself, but to prove it to his city. When Dave arrives home, he gets into a conversation with his mother about buying a gun. His mother reacts with harsh disapproval. After some discussion, his mother agrees to him buying Joe's gun. Dave's mom couldn't stand her ground, and this limited parenting contributes to Dave's immature personality. Dave did not appear to have adequate parenting, which is essential to being an independent adult individual. Dave's mother had made it a condition that he buy a gun; the condition was that he brought it home so her husband, Dave's father, could have it. Dave has agreed to these terms and proceeds to purchase the gun. Not long after, Dave disobeys his mother's one request and doesn't go straight home. Dave waited until he knew his family would be asleep before returning home. Even when his mother woke him up in the middle of the night asking for the gun, and he claims to have hidden it, in the meantime it was next to him. The next morning, he leaves for work, bright and early, to avoid giving her the gun. The above examples show the lack of concern centered on Dave and his actions. If he had been shown proper parenting, he could have approached his life with a better mindset. “The Man Who Was Almost a Man,” written by Richard Wright, expresses what it means to be an adult. Throughout the story Dave believes that a boy cannot become a man unless he can shoot a gun properly. However, this is not the situation. To be considered an adult it is important to be responsible and understand the value of your actions. Dave's parents treat him like a very young childfrom the beginning of the story. His mother felt it was necessary to withhold his wages from work. She hadn't given him the opportunity to be a responsible adult in that situation. When she gives him the responsibility, it is the responsibility of purchasing such a dangerous weapon, and he disappoints her. Dave goes to work with his gun the day after purchasing it. Dave not only disrespects and disobeys her by holding on to it, but he makes a grave mistake. At work, he decides to try to shoot him, considering that from anywhere else in the city the shot could be heard. Dave works for Jim Hawkins. While at work, Dave hooks the plow to Mr. Hawkins' mule. He then goes to a decent distance where the shots would not be heard. When he shoots, he closes his eyes and accidentally shoots Mr. Hawkins' mule. Now, Dave tries to save the mule, but she dies. When Dave returns to the farm to share the sad news, he lies about what happened and keeps the situation a secret. Instead of being mature and taking responsibility for his poor actions, he lies. In that moment, Dave showed the reader that he is very immature. An adult could adequately admit their mistakes and accept the consequences. When a riot broke out, people began to suspect Dave's story. His mother shares the truth about Dave and the gun. Dave finally confessed, but now he had become the laughing stock of the town. He also had to pay Mr. Hawkins for the mule. Now he knew he would be ridiculed for paying “Fifty dollars for a dead mule” (Wright). Dave also feared for the potential beating from his father. Instead of trying to explain to Dave how bad his choices were, Mr. Saunders decided that beating Dave would be more effective. Dave knew he was too old for this, and it wouldn't have made any difference. That night, instead of returning the gun as he had been asked, he decided to go out shooting again. He wanted to prove to himself that he was good at shooting and that he was truly a man. Even during such a delicate situation, Dave risks all the respect he has. As he shoots, he becomes proud of his achievement, but after running out of bullets, he realizes the reality of his future. He thought that staying at home with his parents would never allow him to grow up. He also thought it would be difficult to pay Mr. Hawkins every month for his mule. Under the rush of stressful thoughts, Dave makes the decision to board a train and leave town. Dave does this without money, food, water, or anything crucial to his survival. This shows that Dave's actions are seriously reckless and completely immature. Furthermore, he left his responsibilities behind, despite the gravity of what he did. This can all be traced back to the way he was raised. When Dave Saunders grew up, he probably had a hard time. It is clear to the reader that he, along with his family, is uneducated. When the author shows you Dave or his mother's diction compared to any other character in the story, it's obvious that they didn't grow up the same. This can also be demonstrated by the town's reaction when the news spread that Dave had killed the mule. They all immediately proceed to criticize Dave, and almost make light of the situation. They blame it on his age. He seems to be much deeper than his years. Dave was a seventeen year old boy, and he seemed quite old with the way Dave acted and was treated. Dave is entrusted with such an important job, but he is not entrusted with the pay. The city is surrounded by negativity, in every aspect. Not only is this city a negative place, but history itself. The author writes with an atmosphere