While reading “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” and “Paul’s Case,” both of the main characters face the struggles of coming to age as men. Dave and Paul are at the point in their lives where they are rebellious and yearn to have freedom. Despite the difference in setting and the time eras these two short stories were written, the journey to manhood is prevalent in both of the characters lives. This journey to manhood both character come across is expressed through comparable literary techniques used throughout both short stories.
In the short story “The man who was almost a man” the main character, Dave, is a static character. There are many things that prevented him from changing, and there were many things that he could have done which he didn’t that would have allowed him to change. Dave was a 17 year old black male who wasn't taken seriously by anyone. All he wanted was to be treated like a man, so he thought one way to become a man was by getting a gun. But there were a lot more things he had to do, like face the forces preventing him from becoming a man, in order to become a man. Which he did not do; so therefore, Dave is classified as a static character.
The story is concerned with the conflict between his conception of himself and the reality.
Analysis of Paul's Case by Willa Cather. Willa Cather’s “Paul’s Case” is a story about a young 16 year-old man, Paul, who is motherless and alienated. Paul’s lack of maternal care has led to his alienation. He searches for the aesthetics in life that he doesn’t get from his yellow wallpaper in his house and his detached, overpowering father figure in his life. Paul doesn’t have any interests in school and his only happiness is in working at Carnegie Hall and dreams of one day living the luxurious life in New York City.
"Paul’s Case." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Kathleen Wilson. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 192-209. Short Stories for Students. Gale. Web. 21 Jan. 2010.
The Man Who Was Almost A Man by Richard Wright and The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara share a common theme; young individuals lost in society. Both stories portray their main characters as teenagers who haven’t quite figured out their position in society. They both appear to be strong-willed and independent, but in reality they are not. Both use slang language due to their environment, have difficult financial situations, earn what they think is a sense of responsibility, and insufficient guilty among others who are more prestigious in society than they are. The two main characters, David and Sylvia are set out to learn valuable lessons. In the end, however, neither of them have actually learned anything.
In "Paul's Case," the story revolves around a young male. He is the main character. There are very few mentions of women, however, when they do come into the story they are only mentioned briefly, or they play minor, secondary characters. Paul's mother and sisters are spoken about once during the entire story, while there are four references to his father. The females in his family are mentioned only in passing and remain flat characters, while his father is referred to several times, each time involving an action or comment which exhibits an aspect of his father's personality which makes him a more rounded character.
This short story written by Richard Wright is very well written, and has a very good plot and keeps the reader entertained throughout. From the dialogue to the characters, who inhabit the world crafted by Wright, its very intriguing. On the surface, it appears to be just a story about childhood disobedience in general, but the overall theme is much deeper than that. The story "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" is at first glance a story about childhood disobedience. However, it is much deeper than that: the story is about a young boy named Dave who is frustrated with how the other men he works alongside in the field.
‘Paul’s Case: A Study in Temperament’ is a short story written by Willa Cather. The piece revolves around the life of Paul and his inclination towards high society activities. Looking closely, Willa Cather balances the way the story is told to properly delineate the situation leading to Paul’s suicide as well as offer means for readers to understand Paul through the process of dramatization. By first describing the situation and then indicating the feelings and sentiments of Paul, Cather is then able to expose important themes related to the story.
Paul in “Paul’s Case” wanted to get away from the reality and the hostile environment he faced. He was sick of Pittsburgh and the middle-class, Cordelia Street, which he lived on. Although his mother past away, his home life was as normal as could be. This is something Paul hated, normality. At school he would tell other students false stories to try to make his life seem more interesting than theirs. This ultimately caused none of the other students like him, even the teachers lash out at him. Paul was suspended from school, but he didn’t mind. He found an interest in music and in art, although he knew his father would not approve. Paul’s father wanted him to be a business man, have a normal family and have an ordinary life. Although, having a normal, ordinary life was not what Paul had in mind for his future. He dreamt of much more which caused him to believe he would never get his father’s approval.
In the short story “The Man Who Was Almost a Man,” Richard Wright describes how a seventeen-year-old African American boy named Dave struggles to become a man. Dave desires to be viewed as an adult, but is perceived as a boy by his family and community. He foolishly believes that he can prove he is a powerful and mature adult by owning a gun, and as a result, purchases one. However, the route Dave takes to prove he is a man reinforces everyone’s belief that he is still an adolescent. Many critics regard this piece of literature as a representation of the confinement that racial oppression created for African Americans during this time. Through this story, Wright is arguing his primary claim that the oppression Dave and other African Americans
The author skillfully uses literary techniques to convey his purpose of giving life to a man on an extraordinary path that led to his eventual demise and truthfully telling the somber story of Christopher McCandless. Krakauer enhances the story by using irony to establish Chris’s unique personality. The author also uses Characterization the give details about Chris’s lifestyle and his choices that affect his journey. Another literary element Krakauer uses is theme. The many themes in the story attract a diverse audience. Krakauer’s telling is world famous for being the truest, and most heart-felt account of Christopher McCandless’s life. The use of literary techniques including irony, characterization and theme help convey the authors purpose and enhance Into The Wild.
As their journeys progress, each man is forced to overcome certain obstacles and hardships. At the end
Pauls's Case is the story of a young man who struggles with his identity. Paul feels that he knows where he belongs, but his family and teachers refuse to support his choices. In the middle of Paul's Case, there is a switch in narration. At this point, the reader can associate with Paul and his problems. Paul struggles with both internal and external conflicts, causing him to be quite a puzzling character. From tha perspective of his family and teachers, Paul seems abnormal. From his perspective, however, he seems misunderstood.
"Paul’s Case." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Kathleen Wilson. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 192-209. Short Stories for Students. Gale. Web. 21 Jan. 2010.
Paul's father is a single parent trying to raise his children in a respectable neighborhood. He is a hard worker and trying to set a good example for his son. His father puts pressure on Paul by constantly referring to a neighbor, whom he feels is a perfect model for his son to follow.