There are two main themes that dominate the story "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" by Richard Wright. These two themes interact and build on each other throughout the story.
The first theme is that of power. This is clear throughout the story in all the decisions Dave makes. In the story, Dave wants to own a gun. However, the gun is seen as a way to become powerful and masculine, something he has been denied. He cannot keep the money he earns, he has to obey his parents, he is not respected among his peers. This leads him to want to accomplish power in any way he can find. Moreover, he is denied this autonomy because of racial reasons.
On the other hand, the story also has a component of a coming-of-age story. Dave wants to achieve autonomy, and he wants to be able to act freely. He also wants to be more independent and more of an adult, which in turn signifies more power. This is why he gets the gun. And in this way, both themes are related and build on each other. However, Dave discovers that having more power does not equal being more of an adult.
