On many levels, “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” is a coming-of-age story in which the adolescent Dave Saunders must overcome numerous hurdles to become a mature adult. Restless, impatient, and taunted by the older men he works with, Dave believes that acquiring a gun will end his adolescence and transform him into a real man. Not surprisingly, however, Dave discovers that owning a gun only brings more problems and a much greater burden of responsibility. Ironically, possessing a pistol actually would have ushered Dave into adulthood if only he’d been able to handle the extra responsibility like an adult. Because he has to work for two years to repay Mr. Hawkins for Jenny’s death, the gun brings Dave greater commitment and obligation—the true hallmarks of manhood. But Dave discovers at the end of the story that he’s really seeking escape, not more commitment. When owning a gun becomes a heavier burden than he’d realized, he chooses to leave, demonstrating even further that he’s really not yet ready to become an adult. Still convinced that the gun is a more of a boon than a burden, he takes it with him, possibly inviting more trouble in the future.
The main idea is more specific than a theme . The theme could be food and the main idea might be that people need to be more careful about what they eat . Hope that helped
