The Concept Of Burdens In A Lesson Before Dying By Ernest Gaines

In the novel, “A lesson before dying”, by Ernest J. Gaines, Grant, Reverend Ambrose, and Jefferson all are burdened by taking on others' crosses. The concept of carrying one's cross suggests that life brings us heavy, difficult, situations or burdens and for Grant, Reverend Ambrose, and Jefferson, they each deal with these things in different ways. In the novel Grant, Reverend Ambrose and Jefferson all come across different situations. They have to find ways to deal with these situations to help others. Grant is tasked with helping Jefferson become a man as he walks up to the chair. The Reverend has to comfort people in difficult times. Jefferson has to become a man and love and care for his Nannan before he dies. Throughout the novel, Reverend

He is then also burdened with helping Jefferson and it is not something he would like to do. When Jefferson goes to jail and is set to be executed, Miss Emma, Tante Lou, and Reverend Ambrose want Grant to make Jefferson a man as he walks up the electric chair. Grant finds this task almost impossible and declines to do it. Eventually he agrees and goes to the jail consistently in an attempt to change Jefferson. ““He don't have to,” Miss Emma said again. “He go’n do it,” my aunt said. “Oh,” I said. “You go’n do it,” she said.”” (111) ““He ain’t saved.” “I can’t help you there, Reverend.” “That’s where you're wrong. He listens to you.” I turned my back on him and looked out at the garden. “You ever think of anybody but yourself?”” (213) Miss Emma, Tante Lou, and Reverend Ambrose all want Grant to help change Jefferson because he thinks he is a hog because all of the white men do. They are all worried that Jefferson will walk up to the chair feeling like a hog and they want Grant to change him. Grant has to take the crosses and burdens of all 3 of them as he makes an attempt to change the way Jefferson thinks about himself. This difficulty placed on the three of them has to be taken by Grant as they believe he is the only one who can make a difference. Grant does not want them to be sad so he

In jail, his family wants him to do things for them before he dies. He feels as if he is taking upon all their suffering and burdens on top of his. While in jail people like Miss Emma, Tantle Lou, Reverend Ambrose, and Grant visit Jefferson. They bring him things and expect him to show more care or even any emotion at all to them even in this time before he dies. Grant explains to him that he must love and care for Miss Emma before he dies because she is sick and she is suffering over Jefferson’s as well. “Me Mr.Wiggins. Me. Me to take the cross. Your cross, nannans cross, my own cross. Me, Mr.Wiggins. This old stumbling———. Y’all axe a lot, Mr.Wiggins.” (224) Jefferson thinks that the people around him are asking for a lot from him especially since he is going to die. He has to take upon all of their pain and suffering even though he is the one that is going to die. They should be the ones helping and comforting Jefferson as he is going through this time. Grant explains to Jefferson that he must show love to his Nannan before he dies and he just feels like it is not right that he must do something for others as he is going to die. Jefferson realizes that he must do this last thing before he dies not only for his Nannan but to show people that he is not a hog but a real human. He deals with this burden of taking on people's crosses around him very well and makes it easier to cope with his