The Message Behind a Certain Short Story Essay Example for Free

The Message Behind a Certain Short Story Essay Are you at peace with yourself and the wrong-doings in your life? In the story Crimson Shadow, by Walter Mosley, a hardened ex-inmate, Socrates, takes in a young boy, Darryl, running from his terrible actions and tries to teach him a lesson. The author uses this scenario to in-turn teach the reader that you have to admit when you are wrong and to right those wrongs. Admitting to your wrong doings is the first step to making them right. If you learn you wrong then maybe you get to be a man [sic] (Walter Mosley 22). Socrates says this to Darryl when he is trying to get him to see that he was wrong for having killed a boy. If you dont realize youre wrong then you cant even begin to make it right. Part of being a real man/woman, in my eyes, is trying your hardest to right the wrongs in your life. If you are able to see when youre wrong and are able to admit to it, then you can start to learn from it. An if thats the truth, an if you could say it, then maybe youll learn sumpin [sic] (Mosley 22). This is what Socrates said to Darryl after he admitted to killing a boy and Darryl was trying to get him to admit that he was wrong. Once you are able to admit to your mistakes and learn from them and not continue to make the same mistakes, only then can you move on and give yourself a sort of peace of mind. Maybe youll laugh in the morning sometimes again [sic] (Mosley 22). Socrates uses this statement to get him to see that he can move on with his life somewhat if he can truly see that hes wrong and is able to admit to it. All in all, Walter Mosley did a great job with his characters and bringing this message out in his story. Socrates teaching this boy to admit and learn that he was wrong and maybe being able to get some peace from it, is a great lesson for all to learn whether you are a murderer or just an ordinary person having made some bad choices. So, the next time you do wrong make sure to make it right, if not for anything else, for yourself. Works Cited Mosley, Walter Crimson Shadow. Print