In Ralph Ellison's “Battle Royal” and “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” by Richard Wright,” Two young Black American teenagers approaching adulthood in a time when their race was overlooked and scorned on the struggle to understand the lessons of their youth as they experience firsthand the consequences that follow every single action. Their stories share similar challenges and backgrounds, but what truly connects these two young people are the decisions they make and how they carry them out. As one child leaves responsibility behind, the other surrenders to what he sees as a harsh truth set in stone, these stories share the struggle of conquering the transition to adulthood but also convey a very similar message; we have to plant our feet on the ground at some point if we want to get the respect we so desire. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In “Battle Royal,” the unnamed narrator is haunted by the dying words of his grandfather, when he tells his son “keep up the good fight… our life is a war and I have been a traitor all along my life... Live with your head in the lion's mouth, I want you to surpass them with yes, undermine them with smiles, consent to death and destruction... (389).” The narrator absorbs these words and carries them with him as he goes to school and eventually gives a speech at his high school graduation, a speech about the importance of humility in the modern world. But as he carries on the legacy bestowed upon him by his grandfather, he must also carry guilt as he remembers that his grandfather had called this lifestyle “betrayal” to people of color (389). a trap in similar circumstances as he carries with him the jabs, prods and criticisms of his peers, eager to exert power over them by any means possible in order to gain some respect as he begins to plot: “They [ black men] can't figure anything out. One of these days he was going to get a gun and practice shooting, so they couldn't talk to him like he was a kid (1401). control their lives, but find inspiration through alternative measures, with Dave it's a gun and with the Nameless Narrator, a speech rooted in the wisdom of his grandfather. Observing the men's actions and reactions, both seem to share the mistake of taking the easy route. With Dave, the gun is a way to force respect, showing us that he's really still just a guy who has yet to learn that respect has to be earned. He finalizes his youth by escaping penance and leaving his responsibilities behind. Instead of learning to become a man by admitting his mistakes, he runs away from them and leaves his family behind to pay for what he has done. The unnamed Narrator of "Battle Royal", on the other hand, wants to get his place at the top. giving his speech to the respected people of the town, but must first survive the "last man standing" smoker he was tricked into attending with nine other black men. These black men are not fighting for power or greed, but for the respect of their white peers. They assault the Narrator whose speech focuses on teaching a lesson in humility, instilling in him the true meaning of his grandfather's dying words. When he is finally given the chance to speak in front of men, he is given a.