A Lesson Before Dying

'A Lesson Before Dying’ is a novel, which in detail contradicts, racism and in-justiceness
throughout the novel. Ernest J. Gaines the author of the novel brought the story of prejudice and
segregation between black and white communities in the 1940’s. Ernest J. Gaines chosed Grant Wiggins,
the teacher, as the protagonist of the novel. Jefferson’s life was a sacrifice for the black community as a
symbol of a strength of a black man to make a difference. As the novel progresses, Ernest J. Gaines take
us to see how both of the characters changed by the end of the novel. How both of them realized their
accomplishment in the end of the story. Both of them made a big change to their community and to
themselves. The two of African-American men attained their manhood in a greatly prejudiced community.
Grant in the beginning of the story was full of hesitation to teach Jefferson to be a man before the law
sent him to the electric chair on the day of execution. So do Jefferson, he was still believed in white
people that he is a “hog”. With all their sacrifice, they successfully fixed their problems from many
aspects.
Grant Wiggins was the only educated black man on Oscar, Louisiana. Grant’s aunt (Tante Lou)
and Jefferson’s godmother (Miss Emma) was pushing him to “make Jefferson a man” before the law
executed him. Grant was struggling with how to make him a man while he was still figuring out to be a
man for himself. Grant was a “cold” man. He thought that there will be no hope for black people. In turned,
Grant learned the lesson when he was trying to make Jefferson a man with help and support, he was able
to break free from his selfish enclosed shell into a brand new world. In the beginning of the story Grant
was full of hesitation, he had no idea how to teach somebody to be a man. "now his godmother wants me
to visit him and make him know--prove to these white men--that he's not a hog, that he's a man. I'm
supposed to make him a man. who am I? God?". "I still don't know if the sherif will even let me visit him.
And suppose he did; what then? What do I say to him? Do I know what a man is? Do I know how a man
suppose to die? I'm still trying to find out how a man should live. Am I supposed to tell someone how to
Grant talks with Vivian about his Aunt’s
die who has never lived?".page 31.
proposal that he visit Jefferson and try to make him into a man before his
execution. The quote speaks to Grant’s own insecurities that, despite his
education and teaching job, he understands no more about finding
meaning in life than anyone else in the black community.. Matthew Antoine,
Grant's primary school teacher, was a defeated, bitter, mulatto man, whose attitude
affected Grant's perception of Southern society. Antoine's last words to Grant in Chapter
8 respond to Grant's belief that Grant could affect positive change by teaching in the
South. "I want you to show them the difference between what they think you are and
what you can be."
Jefferson's defense attorney defines the course of the novel with these words
from chapter one. He reduces Jefferson to the level of an animal, stripping him of every
shred of human dignity he may have had. Jefferson then internalizes his words and
begins to act out in a way that ultimately leads to his confrontations and connection with
Grant. The first visit of Miss Emma and Grant, Jefferson didn't want to talk and act like he is a "hog". He
showed them the attitude of hog. ""I'm go'n show you how a old hog eat" He knelt down on the floor and
put his head inside the bag and started eating, without using his hands. He even sounded like a hog"
page 83. "I'm a old hog " he said "youmans don't stay in no stall like this. I'm a old hog they fattening up to
kill for christmas." page 83. Jeferson was giving up his life on what white man said about him, but not in a
long time, he started changing his mind. When Grant gave him a notebook and pencil,he began to write
his journal. His changing attitude is showed on what he wrote on his notebook "If I aint nothing but a hog,
how come they just don't knock me in the head like a hog? Starb me like a hog? more erasing, then : Man
walk on two foots; hogs on four hoofs." page 220. By the end of story Jefferson faced the execution with
the fullest strength he had. "He was the strongest man in that crowded room, Grant Wiggins",said by Paul
on page 253. Grant knows that the entire community will long remember the execution,
and that Jefferson's final moments will have a powerful impact on thousands of people.
He wants to make that impact as positive and far- reaching as possible, and so he asks
a very difficult thing of Jefferson: to die with absolute dignity. If he can walk to the
electric chair with a proud and courageous bearing, he will defy an entire community of
oppressors. Here, "they" refers to the white community. "Good by mr wigin tell them im
strong tell them im a man" page 234 Grant was successfully made Jefferson did it.
The successfully of Grant and Jefferson was with a full help from Tante Lou, Miss Emma and the
community. Tante Lou and Miss Emma played a big role on their success. Both of them strictly pushed
Grant to make Jefferson a man. They motivated Grant by keep on humiliated him and pushed him hardly
to go and visit Jefferson in no matter what way to make him a man. Another support character is
Reverend Ambrosse,the priest. Both of Grant and him was asking by Miss Emma to make Jefferson a
man. Vivian,Grant's boyfriend, also play a role on making Jefferson a man by supporting Grant with her
love and loyalty. Supporting him to believe that there will be a time where blacks are living evenly with the
white and other colour. reminding him to his commitment to teach coloured kids
In this novel, however, Gaines shows how Jefferson and Grant come to serve as hero to each
other and their community. Jefferson"s death aresymbol of a black man to make a difference. Jefferson
proved to the white men that he is not a hog, he was the strongest man on his execution day. Jefferson
communicates with Grant through his diary, which serves as a vivid link between the
two men. With these words, he lets Grant know that he understands precisely what his
life and his death signify. and Jefferson did a lot to defy the myth of white
supremacy by going to the chair like a man.

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'A Lesson Before Dying’ is a novel, which in detail contradicts, racism and in-justiceness

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