The Man Who Was Almost a Man: a short story by Richard Wright - Research Paper Example

Lecturer Compare and Contrast the Man Who Was Almost a Man and the Law of Life The Man Who Was Almost a Man is a short story which was authored by Richard Wright and published as part of his Eight Men in the year 1961. It gives a story which revolves around the struggles of Dave Saunders to liberate himself from the burden of control to full manhood, autonomy and authority. However, for Dave, a young African-American working for a white plantation owner, the attainment of such a goal is proved by the possession of a gun. However, as the story unfolds, he fails to become a man when he accidentally shoots Jane. On the other hand, the Law of Life is a short story that was written by Jack London and published by McClures Magazine in 1901. In this story, London presents a story of an elderly dying Koskoosh who is abandoned in the tundra by his people when the society is befell by a catastrophic famine which compels the rest of the people to flee and relocate to another land (Podgorski 410). By giving more stories about the protagonist’s youthful life and experiences during old age in the hands of the hands of the modern generation, London successfully illustrates and develops the theme of fate and the ethical queries about the treatment of the ageing populations in the society. This paper compares and contrasts these two short stories. It does this by focusing on thematic concerns, characterization and stylistic devices used in each of them. To begin with, each of these texts falls in the genre of short stories. They contain a brief, but detailed account of certain events which occurred during different times in history. This is done in relation to the setting and context in which they were based. On its part, The Man Who Was Almost a Man was published as part of the collection of Eight Men. On the other hand, Law of Life was published as part of The Children of Frost which is a collection of London’s own short stories. In each of these stories, the authors give account of events which were going on others’ lives. They were made to reflect the lives of the people at a time of their publications. Meaning, their settings were used to determine the story line and dictate the direction of the main story (Dittmann 27) For instance, in Law of Life, the main story reflects on the interactions between the cultures of the traditional Inuit tribesmen and the modern western society. Besides, the authors incorporate the element of themes and various stylistic devices which enable to deliver their message to the audiences and appeal to them. The major theme that features in The Man Who Was Almost a Man is the struggle for an individual to attain power and control over oneself. Since his childhood, Dave feels that he has been leading unpleasant and unfulfilling life. A part from being stripped-off his personal control by his parents; he has been working for the oppressive Jim Hawkins, a white tycoon who has not been paying him for the services rendered to him in his firm. At the same time, he has been felling harassed and mistreated by his workmates who subject him to lots of mistreatments. At one time, he is rebuked, "Git outta here! Don yuh talk t me bout no gun! Yuh a fool!" For this reason, Dave feels that the best way to deliver himself from such a condition is through owing a gun. He believes that by getting a gun will make him be a full man. He tells Joe, "Shucks. Mistah Joe, Ahm gittin t be a man like anybody else!" Therefore, he takes all the initiatives to ensure that he possesses one. After fulfilling this mission, he eventually fails to achieve a full goal since he fails to get the happiness he had been yearning for (Pizer 381). Even after owning the gun, he fails to use it as planned. Instead of using it for the right purpose, he accidentally shoots Jane (the mule). Because of this, he fails to become a full man as he had been hoping to. Surprisingly, his efforts do not pay off when he also becomes a mule just like the slain Jane. Meanwhile, the major theme which features in the Law of Life is the treatment of the elderly and dying populations in the society. Having been set at a time of cultural transition, the story depicts the interactions between the old and new generations. During his time as a youth, Koskoosh recounts that they were very much obedient and showed a lot of concern to the elderly. At no one time could they even imagine of abandoning an old man during a disaster. He says, ‘He had even left his own father when it was his time’ (London 392). However, this was contrary to his experiences when he was neglected by his people during the time when he actually needed their assistance. He laments, "My peers and I are portrayed as dependent, helpless, unproductive and demanding rather than deserving"(London 397).This shows that the society has transformed from what it used to be. However, the protagonist is not bothered by this. Instead, he acknowledges that life is full of challenges since human life is dictated by fate. Moreover, he accepts that it is inevitable that every human being is mortal and must die since death is the ultimate natural end of life. In terms of stylistic devices, these authors carefully chose the language to use in their respective stories. However, as the stories indicate, this might have been influenced by the type of the readers whom they were targeting. On his part, London uses a very simple language to communicate his message. Although the story appears to be much complicated, it explores a high use of straight-to-the point technique characterizes by the manner in which the story naturally comes out. The simplicity of this short story makes it quite interesting and appealing to the readers (Creel 187). Moreover, it enables it to be appropriate for different kinds of readers who might be interested in reading and knowing much about it. On the other hand, in The Man Who Was Almost a Man, the author uses a more complex language which incorporates the elements of symbolism and metaphor. The use of metaphor is evidenced in the manner Wright portrays the life of the protagonist. Besides, the setting of the story is metaphorical since it helps in creating a clear image in the minds of the readers about the relationship of the characters in their diverse cultures (Pizer 413). Meanwhile, there is an element of symbolism in the short story. By saying that he had seen a blurred white and black faces, Dave was symbolizing the racist ideologies which stereotyped the whites and the blacks. In addition, the use of a gun is quite symbolic in this story. As a coveted gadget, Dave associates it to accomplishment of power, desire for masculinity, attainment of adulthood and autonomy. These are traits which are admired by everyone because they can place one in a higher stratum in the social hierarchy. Lastly, the term mule is used to symbolize failure. After slaying Jane (the mule), Dave also becomes a mule because he fails to responsibly utilize the gun. Works Cited Creel, Richard E. Thinking Philosophically. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2001. Print. Dittmann, Melissa. "Fighting Ageism." Monitor on Psychology. 34.5 (2003): 50. London, Jack. "The Law of Life." The Bedford Anthology of American Literature Vol 2. Ed 2008. Susan Belasco and Linck Johnson. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. Pizer, Donald. Realism and Naturalism in Nineteenth-Century American Literature. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 2008. Print. Podgorski, Carol A. et al. "Suicide Prevention for Older Adults in Residential Communities: Implications for Policy and Practice." PLoS Med7.5 2010. Photocopies 1 Fighting ageism Geropsychologists are striving to stop negative age stereotypes and meet the growing mental health needs of older adults. By MELISSA DITTMANN Monitor Staff May 2003, Vol 34, No. 5 Print version: page 50 The number of Americans 60 and older is growing, but society still isnt embracing the aging population, geropsychologists say. Whether battling "old geezer" stereotypes or trying to obtain equal standing in the workplace, those who are 60 or older may all too often find themselves the victims of ageism. In fact, in a survey of 84 people ages 60 and older, nearly 80 percent of respondents reported experiencing ageism--such as other people assuming they had memory or physical impairments due to their age. The 2001 survey by Duke Universitys Erdman Palmore, PhD, also revealed that the most frequent type of ageism--reported by 58 percent of respondents--was being told a joke that pokes fun at older people. Thirty-one percent reported being ignored or not taken seriously because of their age. The study appeared in The Gerontologist (Vol. 41, No. 5). And whats worse, ageism also seeps into mental health care. Older patients are often viewed by health professionals as set in their ways and unable to change their behavior, aging experts say. Mental health problems--such as cognitive impairment or psychological disorders caused at least in part by complex pharmacological treatments--often go unrecognized and untreated in this growing demographic, many researchers believe. The deficit in treatment comes at a time when those over the age of 85 make up the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population. Nearly 35 million Americans are over 65 years old, according to the 2000 U.S. Census, and that number is expected to double by 2030 to 20 percent of the population. Those numbers come as no surprise to geropsychologists, who--as they mark Older Americans Month this May--continue working to get the word out about the need for better elder care. Their ultimate aim is to expand training and research opportunities in this area and eliminate ageism in all facets of society--from demeaning stereotypes portrayed in the media to the publics personal biases. The effects of ageism Not only are negative stereotypes hurtful to older people, but they may even shorten their lives, finds psychologist Becca Levy, PhD, assistant professor of public health at Yale University. In Levys longitudinal study of 660 people 50 years and older, those with more positive self-perceptions of aging lived 7.5 years longer than those with negative self-perceptions of aging. The study appeared in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (Vol. 83, No. 2). On the other hand, peoples positive beliefs about and attitudes toward the elderly appear to boost their mental health. Levy has found that older adults exposed to positive stereotypes have significantly better memory and balance, whereas negative self-perceptions contributed to worse memory and feelings of worthlessness. "Age stereotypes are often internalized at a young age--long before they are even relevant to people," notes Levy, adding that even by the age of four, children are familiar with age stereotypes, which are reinforced over their lifetimes. Fueling the problem is the medias portrayal of older adults, Levy says. At a Senate hearing last fall, Levy testified before the Special Committee on Aging about the effects of age stereotypes. Doris Roberts, the Emmy-award winning actress in her seventies from the T.V. show "Everybody Loves Raymond," also testified at the hearing. "My peers and I are portrayed as dependent, helpless, unproductive and demanding rather than deserving," Roberts testified. "In reality, the majority of seniors are self-sufficient, middle-class consumers with more assets than most young people, and the time and talent to offer society." Indeed, the value that the media and society place on youth might explain the growing number of cosmetic surgeries among older adults, Levy notes. Whether this trend is positive or negative in combating ageism is one of many areas within geropsychology that needs greater research, she says. What can psychologists do? Psychologists need to respond to ageism the same way they do when a person is discriminated against because of race or a disability, says Jacqueline Goodchilds, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. Goodchilds, on behalf of APAs Committee on Aging (CONA), drafted a resolution against ageism that was approved by APAs Council of Representatives in February 2002. The resolution says that APA is against ageism "in all its forms" and emphasizes APAs commitment to support efforts to eliminate it. "APA was against racism, sexism and all the other isms--it made sense to be against ageism too," Goodchilds says of the resolution. Other APA groups are also working to combat ageism through funding, training and federal policies supporting geropsychologists. For example, one APA initiative--through the Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) program--recently received $3 million for geropsychology training this year. The funding will be devoted exclusively to training geropsychologists in mental and behavioral-health services for older adults through APA-accredited programs. Increasing the number of doctoral-level trained geropsychologists as well as making age-related information more available to researchers, practitioners and students are top objectives for CONA. One of the groups recent efforts is to get more aging content incorporated into all levels of schools curricula. "We need to raise the consciousness of the need for aging material," says CONA chair Forrest Scogin, PhD, a University of Alabama psychology professor. "There needs to be a greater awareness of who the older adults are--they are a diverse group. Ageism and stereotypes just dont work." The workplace also needs psychologists attention, says Harvey Sterns, PhD, president of APAs Div. 20 (Adult Development and Aging) and director of The University of Akrons Institute for Life-Span Development and Gerontology. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has reported a more than 24 percent increase in the number of age-discrimination complaints filed this year compared with the previous two years. Employees over the age of 40 are often considered "old" and not offered the same training, promotion opportunities and pay as younger colleagues, Sterns says. Div. 20 is working to counteract such workplace and other age stereotypes by addressing the need for more trained geropsychologists and promoting age-friendly environments for the growth and development of older adults. "There is a long tradition within APA of dealing with these issues, but that doesnt mean they dont have to be revisited with intensity over and over again," Sterns says. "This doesnt go away." The key, Scogin notes, is educating psychologists and the general population alike about Americas growing elderly population. "If we have people--from secondary education to continuing education, to professionals--with a greater awareness of aging as an important component, then that could have an impact on reducing ageism." 2 Thinking Philosophically: An Introduction to Critical Reflection and Rational Dialogue Richard E. Creel ISBN: 978-0-631-21934-7 360 pages January 2001, Wiley-Blackwell Description Thinking Philosophically begins by helping the reader acquire a lively sense of what philosophy is, how it began, why it persists, and how it is related to other fields of study, especially science. Table of Contents A Preface to Teachers. Acknowledgments. Philosophers in Thinking Philosophically. Part I: Metaphilosophy:. 1. Introduction. 2. What is Philosophy?. 3. Why We Do Philosophy. 4. The Two Most Basic Causes of Philosophy. 5. Reason, Philosophy, and Other Disciplines. 6. Methods for Doing Philosophy. 7. Things Philosophers Do. 8. A Healthy Philosophical Attitude. 9. Alternatives to Philosophy. Part II: Epistemology:. Chapter 10: What is Truth?. 11. What is Knowledge?. 12. Logic - Understanding and Evaluating Arguments. Part III: THEORY OF VALUE:. 13. Axiology and Happiness. 14. Ethics and Morality. Part IV: Metaphysics:. 15. Freedom & Determinism. 16. The Mind/Body Problem. 17. Philosophical Theism. 18. Philosophical Materialism. 19. Metaphysical Idealism. Part V: Parting Remarks:. Index. Read More