June 15, The Man Who was Almsot a Man

1. What does manhood seem to mean to Dave? How does he define being a man? it means that he could feel strong and have self-esteem. He defines it as being or feeling powerful.
2. What are the effect of dialogue, limited point of view, dialect, and setting? What about the switches between dialect throughout (especially in the contrast between an external narrator and Dave's perspective)? It's difficult to read, but it feels authentic. it puts you in the right time and place. The narrator switch, added a feeling of depth into the mind of the charachter, and insight into the scene. It also gave some relief in the difficult reading of the southern dialect.
3. Re-read the final section of the story, starting at the break on page 1617. What do you notice in Wright's diction and syntax here? Based on the final few paragraphs, what do you expect in his future? i don't notice anything about his diction and syntax that stands out. I expect that the boy is going to get himself into a lot of trouble.
4. What conflicts does Dave face in the story? How does he handle the conflicts? Inner conflict, conflict with both his parents, and with Mr. Hawkins.
5. How does the tradition of gun ownership factor into the story? What about Dave's situation seems to support his desire for a gun? Why do you think Dave wants a gun so much? Well, it wasn't out of the question for a man to eventually buy a gun. he wanted the gun because it woudl make him feel powerful. In his situation, as young black southern male, he was naturally in a powerless situation.