The Man Who Was Almost a Man
Although this story is typically coming to age, The man who was almost a man as well depicts the greater struggles of Dave with poverty and poverty, and it is a commendable piece of naturalistic work. Naturalists like Wright integrated stringing social criticism into their novels and stories through pitting their characters against environmental, economic and social forces, which they are unable to control. In making Dave a social oppression victim, for instance Wright attacks whites, which linger power over the black’s life. The desire by Dave to own a gun depicts a greater desperation and psychological need of establishing himself in the community as a human being who is empowered rather than a mere field hand. Dave is seen struggling in the pressing forces, which are uncontrollable down on him, speaks for all young people who have been dismissed and overlooked by the society (Richard 882). As a result, he becomes the unlikely hero of Wright, a young man who refuses to cave under overwhelming social forces while at the same time he shirks his debts and commitments as a reckless child. irrespective of readers knowing that Dave will never experience independence, success or power he craves the fact that he has willingness of risking striking out on his own acts as a redeemer and makes him be more than almost a man.
I Stand Here Ironing
The error of depression in America affected all families. The harsh economic conditions together with the rigid social norms implied that mothers and fathers were left feeling a separate but equally compelling desire of providing for their families. The conventional roles of gender state that a father is tasked with providing for their family financially while the mother is to maintain the emotional needs of the family. I stand here ironing is a story of a single mother who was to raise five children in 1930s America. The story focuses on Emily, the eldest daughter. Held accountable for the wellbeing of their children, together with their mistakes and experiences, mothers are left to bear more burdens in the society as compared to other figures. During the times of economic stress like during the 1930s depression, possess a monumental role on their shoulders. Like Emily’s mother who never had father’s support was supposed to strike a balance between emotional and the economical requirements of raising the family. I stand here ironing expressively expresses the complications of being a single mother with a troubled child during times of economic stress and they way they ought to fight to be more than just a helpless dress before the ironing board (Olsen 410).
Every day use
In her story, Alice Walker gives lessons on true inheritance, what it entails and who is legible to get it. The center of the conflict in the story is two hands stitched. They also play a role in symbolizing the ideal inheritance. The worldview of a person is constituted of circumstances, events and influences shaping how they see and respond to the world. This story depicts two conflicting worlds. The lingering question is how two individuals from similar wealthy inheritance of community, history and family be significantly different. The conflict source comes from within Dee; whatever the family has to offer her is not sufficient. Dee ventures from world she grew up in but never fell apart. The story is set in the context of her going back home for the first time after leaving for college; the younger daughter Maggie did not leave home. The source of Maggie’s smile is revealed in the closing scene. As she sits in silence in the yard until the time for going to bed reaches (Walker 389), these women share something only shared by the most intimate, a deep contentment and acceptance. They are blanketed by the silence like quilt. Their lives are connected together in a meaningful way. They share the unspoken bystander of the women in their ideal inheritance. Their influence and knowledge keep on speaking silently such that Maggie and Mama are unaware.
Good Country People
In the short story, Good Country People, the author makes the world smaller to look with great scrutiny at the players of this life game. There seems to be little going of the consequences in the plot of action, but there is massive movement is the character arc. To attain this, the author centers on the major personality traits of the characters. First, the narrator introduces two families whose social classes are stratified by finances but in some ways they are paralleled. Hulga is a character who is significantly focused. She has a deformity of a missing leg, which shapes her character. She felt insecure due to her deformed leg but she reveres this challenge as her defining quality, alongside her education. She takes the responsibility of taking care of it without allowing anyone to see it. Nonetheless, this form attitude devoid of God’s faith is depicted to result to her downfall. The education of Hulga is linked to her failure to have faith in God (Flannery 137).
Works Cited
O'Connor, Flannery. "Good Country People." Literature and the Writing Process. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X. Day, and Robert Funk. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice, 2002. 130-143
Olsen, Tillie. “I Stand Here Ironing.” The Seagull Reader Stories: Second Edition. Ed. Joseph Kelley. New York: Norton, 2008. 401-410. Print.
Walker, Alice. "Everyday Use." Making Literature Matter: An Anthology For Readers and Writers. 2nd ed. Eds. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2003. 382-89.
Wright, Richard. “The Man Who Was Almost a Man.” The Story and Its Writer. Ed. Ann Charters. Compact 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 878-87. Print.
