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A Lesson Before Dying Chapter 8-15 Summary

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Reader Response for Chapters 8-15 In chapters 8-15 in A Lesson Before Dying, Grant has encountered two problems: he is expected to meet with an indifferent Jefferson alone, and his relationship with Vivian is becoming tense. Coupled with his career and his aunt’s insisting, he is put into a very stressful situation. Although disgruntled, Grant continues with his problems while trying to make as less trouble as he can. The former honor versus reason situation is still occurring, but now the other characters are becoming involved. Not only is everyone suffering because of this, but everyone is now suffering from wounded pride. Grant has spent the past few years trying not to be the submissive black man that is expected of his current society. He is proud of his intelligence and his job, as well as his girlfriend. However, considering Jefferson’s situation, he is essentially forced to do exactly that: having to get a white man’s permission to do something, to wait for white men to stop talking, to be stripped in the jail …show more content…

She firmly believes that Grant must speak to Jefferson and thus speak up for their minority. She “does not change her mind for a moment” (Gaines 79). Curiously, although she wants to fight back, she only uses Grant to do so. When Grant confronts her about helping white men humiliate him by pushing him into the problem, she apologizes to him for the first time. However, this is not when Tante Lou’s pride is wounded—she stays rooted in her belief. Tante Lou is instead embarrassed when she cannot control Grant. She does not agree with his decision to date/marry Vivian, but when he brings her over to visit in front of Tante Lou’s friends, she knows she is powerless. The irony is that Tante Lou, who is knowingly ruining Grant’s pride by humiliation, has the tables turned on her, and for once, she cannot stand up to

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