The Man Who Was Almost a Man and The Man Who Saw

The FloodBy Richard Wright

Hooper Turner

Richard Wright

Born September 4,1908 in Roxie, Mississippi Wright joined the Communist Party in 1933 Known for association with Jackson, Mississippi His literature mostly was about racial themes Best known black author of his time Best known literature: Uncle Tom's Children,

Native Son, Black Boy, The Outsider Wright died on November 28, 1960 in Paris,

France

Richard Wright

“The Man Who Was Almost A Man”: Story

Published in 1961 in the compilation “Eight Men” by Richard Wright.

A black teenager named Dave, works on a farm and wants respect so he decides he wants to buy a gun

After convincing his mother he to lend him the money to buy a gun he does so on the condition that he gives it to her right after he buys it

He does not return the gun to her and takes it to work the next day

He is sent on the mule named “Jenny” that he accidently shoots.

“The Man Who Was Almost A Man”: Story Dave returns to Mr. Hawkins(his boss) and tries to

lie about the dead mule. When the mules body is found it is obvious that it

was a bullet. Mr. Hawkins tells Dave that he is in dept to him now taking money from his pay.

Dave is then asked by his father what he did with the gun and he lies to him and says he threw it into a creek.

In the middle of the night, Dave goes to retrieve his gun where he forces himself to shoot like a man.

He then hears a train and runs and jumps on one of the cars and rides off into the night.

“The Man Who Was Almost a Man”: Themes The struggle of the Individual Journey from boyhood to manhood Racism- Black worker for white farm

owner The power and respect that a gun

can give

“The Man Who Saw the Flood”: Story Published in 1961, like The Man Who Was Almost

a Man in Wrights compilation entitled “Eight Men” .

The Story begins by introducing a black family returning home after a flood with a cow.

When the family makes their way home, they see the bad damage to their home.

Though the families house is nearly destroyed they stay optimistic and find everything that did not get destroyed and are thankful.

Soon the father of the family (Tom) realizes he has must start from scratch to pay his employer, Mr. Burgess who is a white man

The Man Who Saw the Flood:Story Tom and his wife start to think of a way to run away so

Tom would not have to pay Mr. Burgess but Tom decides he cannot just run from his problems.

Soon after Tom sees Mr. Burgess driving down towards his house.

When he arrives he tells Tom about two other men who owed him money tried to run but were caught by the police.

Mr. Burgess expresses his respect for Tom for not running Mr. Burgess reminds Tom that he still owes him money

but Tom stands up to him even though he is a white man to try to work something out with him

Mr. Burgess agrees to talk about the situation with Tom

The Man Who Saw the Flood: Themes The power of natural disasters such as the

flood. Perseverance to survive Black workers under white employers The struggle of the individual

Similarities

Both stories told in 3rd person Both about black workers under

white employers Both in Wrights compilation “Eight

Men” Similar themes of Racism Theme of the struggle of the

individual

Differences “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” focuses

more on the struggle of the individual with Dave. Unlike in “The Man Who Saw the Flood” which focuses on Tom and his family.

Dave in “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” is dishonest and lies a lot to get out of trouble. This is unlike Tom in the “The Man Who Saw the Flood” who is honest even though he knows he owes Mr. Burgess money.

Work cited"Richard Wright (author)." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 24

May 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Wright_(author)>.

"The Man Who Was Almost a Man." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 24 May 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Was_Almost_a_Man>.

Richard Wright, Writing and Identity”Joseph T. Skerrett, Jr. Callao No. 7 (Oct., 1979), pp. 84-94 Published by: The Johns Hopkins University PressStable http://www.jstor.org/stable/2930719

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Video

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