"The Man Who Was Almost a Man" by Richard Wright
Directions: Answer each question in your best written English with two or more sentences. Cite evidence from the text. Write your responses on loose-leaf or email them to me: dhedges@schools.nyc.gov
1. After reading the first paragraph, identify the narrator, the point of view, and the dialect.
2. How old is Dave? What does he want to buy?
3. List the subtle details Wright gives us, especially smells and reactions of his characters.
4. What is Dave's mother's reaction to his coming home?
5. What does the mother think of the catalogue?
6. What does Dave's father think about it?
7. What is Dave's mother's response when he asks her if he can buy a gun? How does he ask her?
8. What are Dave's reasons for wanting a gun?
9. What does the gun symbolize for Dave?
10. Provide several examples of symbols from everyday life that represent power?
11. What is the condition under which his mother will let him buy the gun? Does he keep his promise?
12. Why hadn't Dave fired the gun when he was out on the fields with it? How does he get around showing it to his mother at breakfast?
13. Describe Dave's firing of the gun. Describe Jenny's reaction. What had Dave accidentally done?
14. What does Dave try to do to help Jenny?
15. What is the explanation he offers for Jenny's death?
16. What is Dave's reaction when pressed to tell the truth? What is the crowd's reaction when he tells?
17. What must Dave do to make up for shooting the mule?
18. What is Dave's father going to do to him?
19. Why does Dave lie about what he did with the gun?
20. What are Dave's thought that evening when he can't sleep? What does he do?
21. What is the most important thing in the world to Dave?
22. Does Dave run away from the past or does Dave run toward a future?
23. What is the meaning of the ending of the story?
24. Think of the train as a symbol. What do you think it represents?
25. What does it mean to "accept responsibility for one's actions"? Is Dave accepting responsibility for his actions?
26. Provide several specific examples of how Dave is treated by his parents, Mr. Hawkins and by other man that make him feel inferior.
27. Provide examples of Dave's reaction to his society?
28. Focusing on aspects of Dave’s character, self-image, and experiences, how do you imagine Dave a few years later? Does he return home? Does he create a life for himself in a big city? Defend your answer.
29. To what extent do you think Dave's parents and his peers are responsible for his behavior? How do they bully him?
30. List all of the bullying and insults he receives from his mother and father, Jo’ and from others.
31. List all of the incidents where he is treated like a mule.
32. Was Dave overly protected by his parents? What were they protecting him from?
33. With the use of technology such as the iPhone and Facebook, are young people nowadays overly protected? Is it harder to be your own person today than it was when Dave was alive? How does technology prevent you from becoming independently minded?
34. How do young boys and girls in our society try to escape the pressure that prevents them from growing up into a man or a woman?
35. How do you predict Dave’s family and community react to his departure? Will they go looking for him or will they feel that they are better off with him gone and actually celebrate his departure?
36. Did Dave’s family and community aim to deprive him of his individuality? Does technology such as Facebook and the iPhone deprive young people of the privacy they need in order to become individuals?
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