It Takes A Gun To Be A Man
Richard Wright's short story "The Man Who Was Almost A Man" is centered on the protagonist's transition to manhood and his misunderstanding of what being a man means. The young man, Dave, views his masculinity as external to himself - in the ability to own and shoot a gun. Owning a gun, for Dave, symbolizes becoming a man. Dave Saunders is seventeen, younger and assuredly less mature than his associates. At the beginning of the story, he associates size with owning a gun. "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. He slowed, looking at the ground. Shucks, Ah ain scarda them, even ef they are biggern me!" (428). It is made clear at this point, that Wright is developing the gun as a phallic symbol. This is corroborated by the frequent references to masculinity, becoming a man, and size, in conjunction with having a gun. Dave looks toward the gr!ound - an action that focuses on the lower part of the body and also
r, that one price to pay for choosing that option is the unmanly choice of refusing and, or, ignoring one's responsibilities. associates the gun with a region below the belt. The phallic association is also evident in Dave's reaction to the guns in the catalogue, "Lawd, ef Ah only had tha pretty one! He could almost feel the slickness of the weapon with his fingers. If he had a gun like that he would polish it and keep it shining so it would never rust. N Ah'd keep it loaded, by Gawd!" (430). Part of becoming a man is realizing that you can no longer feign ignorance or stupidity when things go wrong - part of being a man is accepting responsibility for your actions. The association between the gun, Dave's masculinity, and his belief that the gun will make a man out of him is continually reiterated. Beginning with the first passage and seen in the conversation with his mother. "When he spoke, his voice was husky, faint. ... He laid the catalogue down and slipped his arm around her waist ... Ah loves yuh, Ma. When she spoke he! un, giving it human attributes that he feels he lacks and that he truly does lack because he has the gun to stand in for him. That lesson
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Approximate Word count = 794
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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