There is nothing like the "strong smell of coal oil and mackerel fish" to wake ones senses (Wright 226). Richard Wright uses various settings to create and showcase a realistic view of young Dave's world. He creates vivid scenes that paint a picture in ones head, and through these paintings the reader is able to see what is actually happening in the story. Wright uses subtle descriptions of Dave's surroundings that inform the reader of what time of day it is or how a room is without directly telling the reader.

Wright first and foremost uses setting to help create the story of Dave. He creates Dave's surroundings to show where Dave is coming from as a person and what kinds of things he has had to live with and without. Wright uses setting to create Dave as a character also. Through his use of setting, Wright lets the reader know that Dave is a poor African American who works all day for very little pay, and lives with his family in a small house. His family relies on an oil lamp to light the room at night. Without that lamp Dave would be unable to read the catalogue. He had to draw "the oil lamp close" to be able to read it (Wright 228). Dave had to live without a lot of thi

Through setting we know that Dave worked from early in the morning when the sun comes up to late in the afternoon "through paling light" (Wright 226). Wright also tells us that it is summer time; which means the days are a lot longer, and Dave works longer days. On the way home he stops at Joe's store where a "yellow lantern glowed from the front porch" (Wright 226). By the time Dave got to the store after work it was already getting dark outside. And by the time he gets home it is completely dark. Wright also uses smells in creating the setting, which create a realistic view of the store and Dave's kitchen. The smells give the audience the sense that they are really there in the store smelling the "strong smell of coal oil and mackerel fish" and the "steaming dish of black-eyed peas" (Wright 226). The coal oil and mackerel do not sound pleasant and almost create a sick feeling in ones stomach. The vivid settings Wright creates really captivate and draw in the audience.

ngs that people take for granted nowadays; like real toilet paper, electricity and free time.

Through the setting Wright also gets his point across to the audience. Wright wanted to tell a nice story of a young man who was only almost a man. Through the setting we see that

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 851
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)