The Man Who Was Almost A Man Summary
Response to “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” by Richard Wright The statement, "Well, boy, looks like yuh done bought a dead mule!” really struck a chord with me in this story. It seemed like such a frustrating, unfair comment. I think everyone has experienced some kind of unfairness in their life. For Dave, it was that he was a severely unpaid negro worker who, in a burst of young stupidity, shot Mr. Hawkins’s mule and is told he has to purchase the dead mule as an act of recompense. For some people, it’s that they just can’t get that promotion at work. For other people, it’s that they can’t find a spouse or can’t have children. For me, it was that I wasn’t a fast runner. I’ve never been the fastest runner. Neither of my parents are very fast,