Question

In at least one hundred words, explain how the character of Dave in Wright's "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" works as an effective symbol for the Civil Rights movement.

Answer 1

The character of Dave in Wright’s “Th e Man Who Was Almost a Man” not just reflects his sufferings and struggles of being black but also highlight some of the other aspects too. His want of becoming an adult and moving out of the period of adolescent makes the readers acquainted with the benefits and drawbacks of adulthood. Dave wants to escape from the struggle and hardships that a black American had to face in the society. What happens at the end is that more black Americans started to break off with their past and started to tie to the south in search of new opportunities. In the same way, the Civil Rights Movement which took place during 1950s to 1960s was basically the movement for the black Americans to gain equal rights under the law in the United States. Though this movement helped in the abolition of slavery but the discrimination against them still prevailed. The evils of the society like racism, prejudice against them and the violence still marked their presence after the movement.