As we grow up, 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 advice on how to become an adult and wanted nothing more than that. Dave was not properly provided with essential information on how to be responsible or familiarize himself with social norms. Dave Saunders' parents were uneducated and led Dave to do the same. Knowing the characteristics of being an adult is acquired knowledge. As a result, Dave shows the reader that he does not know 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 Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In Wright's short story, 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, and then they couldn't talk to him like he was a little boy anymore” (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 could have known how to manage his emotions. He could also have learned the value of his actions. At the beginning of the story, 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 his feelings of weakness. He felt like he needed something to make him feel more manly and more like an adult. He wanted this, not only for himself, but to prove it to his city. When Dave arrives home, he begins a conversation with his mother about buying a gun. His mother reacted with strong disapproval. After very little arguing, his mother agrees to him buying Joe's gun. Dave's mother couldn't hold it together, and this limited parenting contributes to Dave's immature personality. Dave didn't seem to have proper parenting, which is essential to being an independent, adult person. Dave's mother had one condition for him to buy a gun: the condition was that he had to bring it home for her husband, Dave's father, to have it. Dave agreed to these terms and proceeded to purchase the gun. Shortly after, Dave disobeys his mother's only request and does not go straight home. Dave waited until he knew his family was going to sleep before heading home. Also when, his mother woke him up in the middle of the night to ask for the gun, and he claims to have hidden it, while she was next to him. The next morning, he leaves for work, bright and early, to avoid giving her the gun. The previous examples show the lack of concern around Dave and his actions. If he had been shown good parenting practices, he might 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 if he does not know how to shoot a gun properly. However, this is not the case. To be considered an adult, it is important to be responsible and understand the value of your actions. Dave's parents treated him like a very young child from the beginning ofthe story. Her mother felt it was necessary for her to maintain her working salary. She didn't give him the opportunity to be a responsible adult in this situation. When she gives him the responsibility, it's the responsibility to buy such a dangerous weapon, and he lets her go. Dave goes to work with his gun the day after his purchase. Not only does Dave disrespect and disobey her by clinging to her, but he makes a major mistake. At work, he decides to try shooting it, considering that the gunshot could be heard anywhere else in the city. Dave works for Jim Hawkins. At work, Dave hooks the plow to Mr. Hawkins' mule. He then moves to be at 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 it dies. When Dave returns to the farm to deliver the sad news, he lies about what happened and keeps the situation a secret. Instead of being mature and taking responsibility for his bad actions, he lies. At that point, Dave proved to the reader that he was very immature. An adult could properly admit their mistakes and accept the consequences. When an outcry broke out, people became suspicious of Dave's story. His mother shares the truth about Dave and the gun. Dave eventually confessed, but he has now become the laughing stock of the town. He also had to pay Mr. Hawkins for the mule. Now he knew he would be teased for paying "Fifty dollars for a dead mule" (Wright). Dave also feared being beaten by his father. Instead of trying to explain to Dave how wrong his choices were, Mr. Saunders decided that beating Dave would be more effective. Dave knew he was too old for that and it wouldn't make any difference. That night, instead of returning his gun as he had been asked, he decided to go shooting again. He wanted to prove to himself that he was good at shooting and that he was truly a man. Even in such a delicate situation, Dave risks losing the respect he enjoys. As he tours, he becomes proud of his success, but once he runs 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 for his mule every month. With the flood of stressful thoughts, Dave makes the decision to get on a train and leave town. Dave does this without money, food, water, or anything crucial to his survival. This proves that Dave's actions are seriously reckless and completely immature. Furthermore, he left his responsibilities behind him, despite the seriousness of his actions. This can all be traced back to how he was raised. Growing up, Dave Saunders probably had some tough times. It is clear to the reader that he and his family are uneducated. When the author allows you to compare Dave's or his mother's diction to that of any other character in the story, it is obvious that they were not raised the same way. This can also be proven by the town's reaction when news of Dave's killing of the mule gets out. They all immediately start criticizing Dave and almost taking the situation lightly. They attribute this to his age. It seems to be much deeper than his age. Dave was a seventeen year old boy, which seems pretty old considering how Dave acts and is treated. Dave is entrusted with such important work, but he is not entrusted with his own salary. The city is surrounded by negativity, in all aspects. Not only is this city a negative place, but so is the story itself. The author writes with a tone