Mind_over_Matter

In Dave's journey to quickly become a man, he's subliminally learns that it is not that easy. It is understood that after Dave shot Jenny he fled the scene and eventually fled town. In my opinion those were all the signs that he was not ready to become a man at that moment. The more appropriate way a real man would have dealt with that situation was by staying, selling back the gun, not skipping town and taking full responsibility for his actions. When his father asks Dave where the gun was, Dave, consistently proving his immaturity, again lied and said it was in the creek, instead of being honest and saying buried by a tree. In another situation, Dave made his mother a seemingly mature promise about purchasing the gun. Dave had promised his mother that he would give the gun to his father on the terms that she would give him the money to purchase one. A more appropriate way of becoming as a man would have been to keep his word and return the gun as Dave had promised his mother. By Dave keeping his word to his mother, he could have avoided the entire situation of shooting Jenny and trying to hide the gun. However, Dave lies to his mother and brings it to work with him the next day. Dave chooses to keep an immature mind, keeps the gun, and shoots Jenny. While walking away he contemplates on whether he should sell back his gun and pay off his debts or jump on the next train and leave town. The ending shows that Dave had a false idea of what a man truly is, which in turn makes him not totally at fault for his actions. In a sense, I believe Dave's parents knew he was not ready to be a man. Perhaps Dave's parents felt he was too eager to become a man which explains why they treated and talked to him as he was a much younger child. However, paradoxically Dave's own use of this slur displays his own ignorance making him appear to be a hypocrite. However, he chooses to lie which moves him further away from his goal of becoming a man. In spite of all that Dave went through, I feel that patience is a key factor in becoming a man and patience is a factor Dave did not have. By Dave's lack of patience there was, indeed, no appropriate way for him to become a man throughout this story.