Dramatic efforts of escape are at the heart of Richard Wright's "The
             Man Who Was Almost a Man" and William Faulkner's "Barn Burning." Both
             stories focus on young men who run from their past in search of a better
             life. Dave and Sarty are alike in that they want to be mature; however,
             they are strikingly different in how they seek to achieve their goal.
             In "The Man Who Was Almost a Man," Dave is a young man who wants to
             grow up and be a man. He associates manhood with owning a gun. This is
             obvious when we are told, "One of those days he was going to get a gun and
             practice shooting, then they can't talk to him as though he were a little
             boy" (1788). We can also sense Dave's desperation when he begs for the
             catalog after Mr. Joe tells him, "You ain't nothing but a boy. You don't
             need a gun" (1788). Dave's mother also tells him that he is too young for
             a gun but he refuses to believe it, adding, "But Ma, we needs gun. Pa ain
             got no gun. We needa gun in the house. Yuh kin never tell whut might
             happen" (1790). Dave genuinely belives that having a gun will transform
             him somehow. Additionally, Sarah Hardy adds, "Armed with a gun, Dave
             believes that he will no longer be scared. He will be powerful and
             Dave does not think things through, however, which only leads him
             further and further away from his goal of achieving manhood. Hardy
             explains, "Dave makes a bid for more respect only to inspire shame and
             humiliation" (Hardy). Indeed, Dave is demonstrating that he does not know
             In "Barn Burning," Sarty is reaching for manhood as well, but he
             reaches it in a different way. Sarty is in conflict with his father over
             his father's actions. Sarty cannot understand why his father does what he
             does. Sarty wants his family to have a home and he begins to think that
             they have found it in the de Spain house.
             ...