"The Man Who Was Almost a Man", is a story about a guy, Dave. Causing the tease of other people, he wants to be man. He thinks people look down him because his age, so he wants to become an adult. Actually, people tease him because his childish behavior.
Dave wants to become a man, so he plans to get a gun. In the beginning of the story Dave talks about buying a gun and how a gun will make an adult. He feels that a gun will posses the attributions that will make him feel like a man. He wants the people he works within the field to respect him and he feels if buys the gun he will have the power over the people. He also feels that his mother does not treat him like an adult and the gun would make her treat him as one. He thinks the gun can bring the dignity and power to him. His idea shows that he is still a boy.
The obsession over a gun goes throughout the whole story. He reads through a gun catalogue and immediately knows he wants one. Dave doesnt have money, so he plans to ask his mother to get money. Dave chooses to ask his mother, because he is too scared to ask his father. He fears that his father will reject him. Dave begins to disobey his mother's rules and that shows an example of immaturity. His mother thinks that he is totally insane and wonders why he needs a gun. But after begging and pleading, like a little baby, his mother finally agrees to allow him to buy a gun but under one condition, he must bring the gun straight to her when he buys it. Actually, the gun is supposed to be purchased for his father. But Dave is too immature and disobeys his mother's wish. In this case, it also shows his immature in asking money from his mother. If an adult wants to buy something, they will plan how to earn money, not how to get money from mother.
Dave feels that he has some dignity in him when he owns the gun. He wants power, control and dignity with a gun. That night, he sleep with the gun, he puts the gun under his pillow.