A man isn’t a boy who has hit puberty or identified as an adult at age 18. A man is someone who has the ability to provide for his family, to be able to sacrifice himself, and have pride in everything they do. But Jefferson, a central character in Ernest Gaines’ novel in A Lesson Before Dying is not a man. Gaines begins by telling the story of a 21 year old who is accused of a crime he did not commit and faces conflicts like losing his identity and manhood. Gaines uses characters like Miss Emma and Grant to help Jefferson by giving him hope to be more than just a “thing”. At his trial, Jefferson’s identity and manhood is ripped from him, but through the help of his community, he regains them, allowing him to become a hero. The novel …show more content…
Not only does Jefferson’s lawyer rip his identity but so does Henri Pichot in that he bets a case of whiskey where Jefferson will not become a man before the Friday where he will be executed. This reveals that not only does the lawyer but now Henri Pichot see him as a “thing,” that has absolutely no ability to be taught and become a man. But, Jefferson proves them wrong with the help of his community. Through the help of people in the quarter, they give Jefferson hope to regain his identity and manhood. Miss Emma raised Jefferson, therefore she is aware that he is worthy of attention and effort to make him a better man. She's the only one that needs the officers “to kill no hog….(she) wants a man,”(13) to go into that chair. Miss Emma's efforts continue because she wants Jefferson to “die with some dignity,” (49) especially since most people in the quarter can't escape the cycle. They either die or end up in jail. And, since the only thing people in the quarter have to show affection …show more content…
He sacrificed himself for others like Miss Emma. He is now a man and comprehends that “ it would mean so much to her if he would eat some of the gumbo,”(191). This represents him finally embracing the love given by Miss Emma and making “his nannan..so proud,”(195) by accepting her affection towards him. Not only by embracing her affection but now becoming a man. His last journal entry is where he wants Grant to tell Miss Emma “im strong tell them im a man…”(234). That was all Miss Emma ever wanted from the man she has raised and now will go into that chair with “some dignity,”(49). Ernest Gaines alludes Jefferson as God to represent him becoming a hero. Both were good people, both were accused of something they didn’t do, both died on a friday afternoon between noon and 3, both were executed by someone who had more power than them. Although Jefferson loses the most important things that make him a man, with effort, affection, teachings and love he regains the things that were once stripped away from him. A boy is someone who is immature and insecure in their life. The central character in Ernest Gaines’ novel, A Lesson Before Dying, is not a boy. He's a man due to his ability to accept love and provide hope for others to not give up. It has been so common to give up when things are difficult, but in the end you actually identify yourself as being a helper or the person accepting help to become a
This novel was an emotional read because of the unfair killing of Jefferson, but it was also a great learning experience because it teaches the reader to try and help others during difficult times. During the time that this event took place there was still racial discrimination, therefore Jefferson was not given a fair trial. He did steal the money, but he did not kill the people in the store. Jefferson knew that stealing was wrong, but he was poor and saw that no one was around to say anything so he took it. Due to this wrong decision he believes that he is a hog who deserves to die.
He ends up dying for them and he dies a hero. This theme is also displayed in A Lesson Before Dying. Jefferson is accused of murder and robbery. He
“tell them im strong tell them im a man good by mr wigin. ”(Gaines, 234). In A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest J. Gaines, Jefferson was wrongly convicted of being a murderer and robbing a store and was sentenced to death. Jefferson's meaningful relationships with Grant and other characters help him to realize he is human and help him become one again. Grants meaningful relationships with Jefferson and others help him improve his mental state and change how he thinks.
In the novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J Gaines, Grant is a main character that has a lot of influence over the people in his community. Some might even consider him a hero. I believe that Grant is a hero because he helps Jefferson become a man, changes himself for the better, and wants to continue changing the community. Over the course of the novel, Grant helps Jefferson become the man that he needs to be in order to walk to his death with honor. When Grant first begrudgingly went to visit Jefferson in prison Jefferson was in a really low state.
His worried Aunt, Miss Emma, asks one of the only educated black men around, Grant Wiggins, to visit Jefferson and teach him to be a man again. At first the visits are unsuccessful but when the execution date is set, Jefferson starts to act less animal like. On his next visit, Grant gives Jefferson a radio and a notebook to write down his thoughts. The connection
In A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest J. Gaines, the author employs Jefferson as a hog to contribute to the themes and characters by dehumanizing a person far beyond what is morally acceptable.
Grant’s girlfriend, Vivian, provides the support he needs to keep him from eluding his problems. Women in this novel play an influential part as a bridge to success in men’s lives, as Tante Lou and Vivian secure Grant 's role in the community, and as Miss Emma encourages Jefferson to die as a man. Even as Jefferson doubts the existing love for him, Miss Emma remains an influence in making him a man by going to many extents. From start to finish, she had always been the strong will who wanted the wellbeing of her godson. Knowing that the fate of her son was execution, she refused to let him die as a hog.
This is shown throughout the novel by showing that in the beginning of the novel, Grant wants nothing to do with Jefferson and his situation. As the book continues, he realizes that Jefferson is a human too and that he needs to realize how good he has it compared to some people. In the beginning of A Lesson Before Dying, Grant Wiggins struggles with accepting his responsibilities. This is shown in multiple examples. The two examples used in this paper were when Grant avoids all of his responsibilities and does not want anything to do with Jefferson.
“--his godmother became as immobile as a great stone or as one of our oak or cypress stumps.” 3 Grant depicts Jefferson's godmother as “a great stone” and a tree stump using a metaphor. Impacting the text greatly since the narrator suggests that Miss Emma personifies the innate strength necessary to survive in this racist environment. 12. “Nobody is going to die at Christmas,” I said.”
Jefferson’s execution day is set and everyone is waiting for the inevitable and to see if Jefferson and Grant can prove the whites wrong, that Jefferson is not a ‘hog’ but a man. Jefferson holds his head up high as he is lead to his execution and proves he is just as much a man as anyone,
The main conflict of the story is Grant convincing Jefferson that he is truly a man and that there is hope in the world. After Jefferson’s sentence is set, Jefferson doesn’t have hope for the world and thinks that he going to die anyways, so why care. Grant is teaching him that he can help others and that there is hope in the world and in the future. So, Grant is using character motivation to help Jefferson throughout the entire novel. The other literary term, diction, is repetition of a word to show its importance.
Immediately after hearing Jefferson’s execution date, he instantly thought, “ How do people come up with a date and a time to take life from another man? Who made them God” ( Gaines 157)? In disbelief, Grant feels infuriated on how these people are capable of doing this. Therefore, he questions the justice system by pondering to himself, “ Twelve white men say a black man must die, and another white man sets the date and time without consulting one black person. Justice” ( Gaines 157)?
Rotting in a cell. Counting down the days. Trying to learn how to be a man before the big day. In the book “A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest J. Gaines: Grant Wiggins a school teacher tries to help a falsely convicted black man named Jefferson. During this time Grant release what can do to not only change Jefferson but change himself as well and he achieves redemption.
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.
Imagine be sentenced to death knowing you did nothing wrong. Imagine having to figure out what legacy you want to leave on this world when you haven't even been alive in this world for 25 years. In a Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, this is what a 21 year old black man is expected to do when he is wrongfully accused of a crime he did not commit. He is sentenced to death and Grant and Reverend Ambrose have taken on the challenge of making this boy into a man who will die as a Christ figure the way a man should. The purpose of Jefferson’s diary at the end of the novel is to show his growth, and to prove that Grant and Reverend have done their job of making Jefferson into a man before his execution, throughout the chapter it shows his