Understanding Richard Wright's, "The Man Who Was Almost A Man"

In Richard Wright's, "The Man Who Was Almost A Man", we are introduced to Dave; a young man who is wanting to prove to everyone that he is a man.  He works hard but nobody appreciates it.  He is made fun of sometimes by friends and family, especially his mother.  Wright, carefully examines the misconception of many young men who try so hard to prove themselves to their peers and family that they can handle anything.  Too often, these young men commit foolish acts to prove their self worth.  Just as Dave did, by wanting to buy a gun because he thinks it will give him respect.  Little does he know that respect is earned through hard, honest work.  Of course, many people that we show respect to in our history books that are deemed heros, have been responsible for much brutality.  Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, and King David are some of the "heros" we respect.  As Dave manages to get the money from his mother for the gun; his immaturity quickly takes hold and cannot begin to understand that his actions do have consequences.  The gun, of course is a symbol of power to Dave.  His lack of understanding the gun's true power in the hands of someone so imature even after accidently killing the mule.  Dave is determined to control its power.  He will stop at nothing to posess it.  Acting on impulse and not understanding these consequences, Dave runs away with his gun.  He neglects his obligation to repay Mr. hawkins for the dead mule and leaves his family.  Wright leaves us the impression at the end of the story that Dave will probably make a more bad decsions that will put him in an even more dangerous situation.

Understanding Eudora Welty's, "Powerhouse"

In the short story, "Powerhouse", by Eudora Welty;

Understanding John Steinbeck's, "Flight"

In John Steinbeck's, "Flight", we are introduced to a young man, Pepe.  He wants so much to be respected by his mother.  Pepe knows that since he is the oldest and his father has been dead for many years; he must now be the man of the house.  His mother doesn't acknowledge this entitlement to Pepe, instead, she acusses him of being too lazy.  Mama Torres realizes that Pepe is too inmature because of his foolishnes with his father's knife; always playing with it and throwing it into posts.  Pepe mistakenly thinks that he is given a manly task to go and buy medicine and salt in the next town.  He professes that he is now a man as he begins his journey only to have his mother insult him for the last time.  When Pepe finally returns home, he confesses to his mother that he has probably killed a man with his knife.  He disrespected Pepe by calling him names as his mother regularly did.  Mama Torres huridly packs Pepe up to escape into the night.  As Pepe watches his mother pack, he now thinks of himself as a man.  He has to hear it from his mother, though.  She finally acknowledges his new title only because she knows he wouldn't leave until she reconfirms it.  Once on his journey, his mother cries in grief; knowing she has lost her son.  As Pepe begins his long journey through the mountains, Steinbeck beautifully describes the treachorous landscapes which Pepe must navigate.  It is a lonely, desperate journey that Pepe ultimately loses to the gunmen who follow mysteriously behind. 

Understanding William Faulkner’s, “Barn Burning”

William Faulkner’s short story, “Barn Burning”, seems to encapsulate the desires of any young boy who is looking for acceptance and approval from their father.  Faulkner helps us see what the boy perceives of his own father.  It could be easily said that the father was abusive and uncaring, but what his father was doing, on the order of sociopathic, was expressing his hatred for those that he didn’t bother to show any measure of respect.  The father not only scared his son, but begrudgingly, his wife and children.  They knew to stay well enough away from his sinister deeds, when he felt an injustice was done to him.  His callous nature and brooding, unsympathetic manners becomes evident when the father goes to see his new boss and pushes his way into the home all the while having fresh horse manure on his shoe.  He knowingly and spitefully walks on his boss’ rug.  After the wife rebukes him of his actions, he turns slowly and with a “heavy foot” smears the manure more, into the rug.  In the critical analysis of this story, it seems the father is so full of hate that he unapologetically burns down the barns of his accusers, knowing he was probably to blame for the actions that brought him to see the Justice of the peace in the first place.  When the son, realizes that his father is on another rampage and intends to burn down another barn, he tries to warn the victims of his deeds.  This seeming betrayal of the son to his father was in fact, retribution for all the years of neglect and abuse from an emotionally crippled coward. 

Hughes Poetry

Hughes had much to write about, his many years of travel afforded him the type of cultural experience that could'nt be found if you sit in a little corner of the world for your entire life.  Of his poetry, there are two that I enjoyed reading; "Question" and "Harlem".  "Question", I believe, talks of equality, finally in death.  "Harlem" asks a dream not chased or realized could be compared to things tangible like rotten meat or a dried raisin. 

Understanding Langston Hughes’, “On the Road”

“On the Road”, by Langston Hughes, is a short story of a homeless man that is trying to find refuge from the cold.  He has just gotten off a freight train and it is night time.  The cold, wet snow is unnoticed by the tall black man; hungry and tired are on his mind.  Hughes seems to pay tribute by recognizing the universal truth of desperation.  What one will do to survive even in the harshest conditions.  This short story just happens to take place during the Great Depression; during a time of severe oppression.  How can a cold, hungry, tired, black, homeless man survive during the most racially oppressive and economically depressive years of American history?  Hughes gives us just a glimpse of what it might have been like to endure a night of hell.  Hughes could have been more descriptive of what some African Americans truly suffered through, but it might not have been published.    It gave him peace and allowed him to seek refuge in his mind until it was time to hop on another train.  It is when he is beaten on the knuckles by the cop that he awakes to find himself in jail, for trying to break into a church, just to get out of the cold. The only thing that seemed to give the man hope was his delusions of walking with Christ, or was it?

Understanding Hemingway’s, “The Short Happy Life of Francis Malcomber”

In Ernest Hemingway’s, “The Short Happy Life of Francis Malcomber”, Hemingway introduces us to three main characters; Francis and Margaret Malcomber and Robert Wilson. Too briefly set the scene, The Malcombers are on safari in Africa and Mr. Wilson is their hired hunter.  Hemingway’s description of the fine clothes and well to do manner of the Malcombers and the bold, macho detail of Mr. Wilson’s ensemble, gives a general theme of a seemingly heroic beginning.   The events of the Francis’s cowardly actions aren’t reveled until the middle of the story and give an uneasy start to the tension.  Margret’s wandering eyes on Mr. Wilson is realized because Francis inability to shoot the lion.  Mr. Wilson picks up on this uneasiness and has no remorse for Francis’s feelings.  He regards Francis as a “poor beggar” but justifies his own actions by professing his condemnation of how Francis lets his wife treat him.  Throughout the story, Margaret has no pity on Francis and shows genuine contempt and a lack of respect for him. When she is caught having an affair with Mr. Wilson, she shows no remorse. It seems to take very little to turn Margaret’s loyalty from Francis. Yet, they both realize that they need each other for their own selfish needs.  Margaret needs Francis’s money and Francis needs Margaret’s beauty.   Hemingway has this amazing ability to bring you into the action of the moment.  The hunting scenes are a great example of how he makes the reader feel as if they are apart of the hunting party; you are there, watching the lion come at you or chasing the buffalo down. When Margaret shoots Francis accidently, Mr. Wilson helps us question Margaret’s true motives.