the man who was almost a man

Answer the following questions for Richard Wright's short story, "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" in complete sentences, with as much detail as possible [this might mean a short paragraph]:

1. After reading the first paragraph, identify the narrator, the point of view, and the dialect.

There is an omniscient narrator, they know what he is thinking and what he is doing. The dialect shows that they are in the south.

2.What is Dave's mother's response when he asks her if he can buy a gun? How does he ask her?

She doesn't want to get him one, he told her that she promise to get him one but she didn't listen. She doesn't want to waist the money she earns for a gun, she wants to save it so she can buy him cloths for the winter.

3. What is Dave's reaction when pressed to tell the truth? What is the crowd's reaction when he tells? 

Dave is very upset when he tells the truth, he has to reveal something that he was ashamed that he killed the mule, even though it was an accident. His parents are mad at him and Mr. Hawkins seemed to be a little happy because even though his mule was killed, he now gets money for it.

4. Think of the train as a symbol. What do you think it represents?

I think the train represents Dave becoming an adult. It seems although he has to prove himself to everyone, they didn't think he was old enough to have a gun. He wants to be seen as a man and not the little boy that many people take him for.

5. Is society better off without individuals like Dave? Should they celebrate his departure?

I don't think that society is better off without people like Dave, he was careless which turned out to be very bad, but he didn't do anything intentional. There are other people who may have killed the mule on purpose but Dave didn't.