A Lesson before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines Essay - 1992 Words

A Lesson before Dying, one of Ernest J. Gaines later works, was written in 1993. Some of his earlier works include A Gathering of Old Men and In My Father’s House. The novel covers a time period when blacks were still treated unfairly and looked down upon. Jefferson, a main character, has been wrongly accused of a crime and awaits his execution in jail. Grant, the story’s main protagonist must find it within himself to help Jefferson see that he is a man, which will allow him to walk bravely to his fate that lies in the execution chair. A Lesson before Dying captures the tale of a young teacher, who by helping another mistakenly finds his own soul. This paper explains the literary background of Gaines, facts about the novel, literary†¦show more content†¦It was here that Gaines discovered his passion for writing.(Discovering Authors 1). His first novel was published in 1964. He began to receive awards, his most famous becoming the Autobiography of Miss Jane Pit man. Becoming a highly analyzed novel, many critics speak about their feelings. Carl Senna, one a literary critic, discusses the reasons for lack of communication in A Lesson before Dying. A large part of their communication problem comes directly from their class differences. Although Grant is not considered rich, he is well educated and lives rather comfortably, whereas Jefferson is nearly illiterate and has been a struggling farmhand most of his life. This gap that separates them makes it very difficult for them to speak. Neither one of them is at fault for this, but it frustrates Jefferson to the point where he often wants to leave the jail cell and not return. Also Grant speaks with Jefferson reluctantly, prompted by his aunt, a moralizing scold and a nag(Senna 5). Another good point Senna makes is that because of the time period, blacks were struggling to become equals and were more engrossed with their own wants and needs than worrying about Jefferson. Yes, they all realized that h e is innocent but they are not at a time where they can fight for the innocence of this young boy. Therefore Grant becomes their instrument in trying to save him[Jefferson] from disgrace(Senna 5). Jefferson was not seen as much to theseShow MoreRelatedA Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines1640 Words   |  7 PagesThe definition of what it means to be a human or a man, is a topic that is has been and is often discussed all over the world today. In the novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, Gaines breaks down the meaning of what it means to be a man thought a character named Grant Wiggins. Grant Wiggins is the main character of the novel and is a very educated African-American man who is also a teacher at a local church in the town. He is trying to define and understand the concept of what it meansRead MoreA Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines1094 Words   |  5 PagesA Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, Vintage Contemporaries  ©1993, 256pp. In his poignant and moving novel, A Lesson Before Dying, Ernest J. Gaines asks us questions that reignite our own quest for the meaning of compassion. What do you teach a man condemned to die? What lesson might be useful in the final month of a man’s life? Is there a futility that we succumb to when we accept the judgment of men? These are the questions faced by Grant Wiggins, a young, black school teacher who has returnedRead MoreA Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines1293 Words   |  6 Pageseveryone is a student and a teacher in their own discoveries about the lessons of life. As hard as it can be to assimilate in a situation where you re at a disadvantage, Grant Wiggins and Jefferson took the jaundiced community and made their mark on the static populace. Everyone deserves the right to grasp certain basic lessons, even if it is not encouraged in your society. As the title implies, in A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest J. Gaines, Grant and Jefferson acted as both the teac her and student in orderRead MoreA Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines926 Words   |  4 Pages I found A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines a deeply moving novel, which kept me on the edge of my seat and had a hard time putting down. The novel explores various themes and concepts that surround the education system, filled with multiple emotional moments, conflicts, and surprising moments scattered throughout the storyline. However, the novel does not just focus on the education system and its underlying issues, but it also focuses on human transformation, where the emotional momentsRead MoreA Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines960 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"A Lesson Before Dying† is known as an outstanding book, in which I would have to agree on. The book has many excellent messages and morals throughout its entirety, But no other message speaks out more than the message of â€Å"Becoming a Man† and the obstacles you must first tackle before achieving that message. The author of â€Å"A Lesson Before Dying†, Ernest J. Gaines, expresses this thr oughout the book immensely. In many ways also making this the theme of the book. Miss Emma says at the beginningRead MoreA Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines1122 Words   |  5 PagesThe Power of a Strong Character In the novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, racism and prejudice are clearly evident and talked about throughout the novel. The novel expresses the oppression of the blacks under a white-ruled society through the narrator, Grant. Grant is a well-educated black man who struggles to free himself from the oppression he has felt from the white community. Despite the fact that he is educated and a teacher, he initially lacks the vigor needed to take the firstRead MoreA Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines1321 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"You don’t get to choose how you’re going to die and when, you can only decide how you are going to live†. (Joan Baez). In the novel A Lesson Before Dying, written by Ernest J. Gaines, Jefferson doesn’t get to choose how and when he’s going to die, but he learns valuable lessons from Grant about how to live the rest of his life. This novel takes place in Bayonne, Louisiana, in the late 1940s. Jefferson is a twenty-one-year-old uneducated black man, who is accused of a robbery and murder that he didRead MoreA Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest J. Gaines Essay1011 Words   |  5 Pagesvery much felt that way. Blacks were oppressed in many ways including having unreachable requirements to vote, such regulations included literacy tests, poll taxes, and elaborate registration systems, but it only started there. The novel A Lesson Before Dying is about a young, college-educated man and a convict, Grant Wiggins and Jefferson. Grant is asked to make a man out of Jefferson who is convicted of killing a white man during a robbery in which he got dragged along to. Grant is asked by EmmaRead MoreA Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines1419 Words   |  6 Pagesfear and pity in the audience. In Ernest J. Gaines’s novel, A Lesson Before Dying, Jefferson conforms to four out five of the characteristics, and it is the quality that he doesn’t meet that leads to all of his problems in the first place. By meeting four out of the five characteristics, Jefferson meets Aristotle s definition of a tragic hero. Jefferson is not of noble birth, in fact in his culture his is not even average. The society in which A Lesson Before Dying takes place is one that refusesRead MoreA Lesson before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines1155 Words   |  5 Pagesthe children and run away. He still tells her how he wants to run from his problems, the South. Vivian lets him know that her coworkers know about her affair with him. Chapter 13 Plot: Miss Emma goes to church on Sunday. Grant remembers the Friday before when Miss Emma and Reverend Ambrose were sitting in the kitchen along with Tante Lou. When Miss Emma asks about his visit with Jefferson he lies and says that he is doing fine. Grant doesn’t believe in the Bible’s teachings. Grant sits at his desk