Heroes In A Lesson Before Dying

In Ernest Gaines’ novel, A Lesson Before Dying, the author uses a third person point of view to assess the issue of racial injustice in the South during the 1940’s. Grant understands that justice is evaluated unfairly and knows that it does not favor the poor and uneducated black man. Due to Grant’s ability to be able to understand others, he successfully learns how to bring justice, while assisting Jefferson. This presents the audience the significance of the novel as a whole, embracing responsibility and facing injustice. Grant feels as if he shouldn’t feel obligated or pressured to help bring justice to Jefferson.

Jefferson, an innocent young black man, ends up being sentenced to death by electrocution, due to being in the same location when a white man is killed during a shooting. During the trial, Jefferson was looking down and avoided everyone’s gaze when they visited him in jail. This showed how Jefferson was still processing his death was set, due to the racism in the justice system. In our second book club discussion, we agreed that the passage where Grant said, “I don’t know when I’m going to die Jefferson. Maybe tomorrow, maybe next week, maybe today.

Through thoughtful reflection and passionate determination, the connection of these two characters creates a heightened sense of worth that makes them a valuable and contributing part of society. Jefferson is a young, black man who is put on death row, because he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. He did not kill any men, yet the white jury is convinced he is guilty of all charges. During his trial, his lawyer states, “What justice would there be to take this life? Why, I would just as soon put a hog in the electric chair as this” (Gaines 8).

An african american man sits in a jail cell being charged with the murder that he did not do. Now this happened in the film A Lesson Before Dying. Jefferson was suppose to be going to the lake to fish when he got into a car with some friends. Him and his friends went to the shop where the two other friends killed the white folk. Jefferson was accused of it and was called a hog.

In A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines I believe Grant Wiggins controlled his future. In the story Grant has an inner struggle with himself and the world around him while trying to help Jefferson, field worker, become a man. Jefferson has been branded a hog and has been sentenced to death after being charged with murder by an all white jury. Miss Emma, Jefferson’s godmother, and Tante Lou, Grant’s aunt, want Grant to help make Jefferson a man so he can die with dignity. He is helped by Vivian, Grants girlfriend, and Reverend Ambrose to make Jefferson a man.

At the beginning of A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines, Grant and Jefferson who are two black men who have drastically different views on life, they started out as bitter and angry people. Towards the end , these men evolved into caring and brave characters due to the influence of motherly-like women. At first Jefferson didn’t want to listen to Grant because he believed that life was near the end, and he thought that teaching kids wasn’t going to get them anywhere since they will eventually become the people who unload wood. Miss Emma and Tante Lou instructed Grant to visit Jefferson and see him stand up for his rights and so did Vivian, Mr.Wiggin’s girlfriend. In A Lesson Before Dying, women helped foster the development of Grant and Jefferson as characters

No matter who a person is or what others think of him or her, that person will always have the opportunity to change for the better; Nobody has the power to tell a person what he or she can or cannot do. In the novel, A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest J. Gaines, the protagonist, Jefferson discovers that he could change as a whole person and finally become a man, even under difficult circumstances. He is constantly discriminated and does not feel welcomed to the society. Throughout the majority of the novel, Jefferson believes he is his own stereotype and takes it to heart when he is being called a hog. Although he knows he will be exiled, Jefferson and his family hopes for a change in his heart.

Debi Mazar is an actress who stated, “A hero is somebody who is selfless, who is generous in spirit, who just tried to give back as much as possible and help people. A hero to me is someone who saves people and who really, deeply cares.” Heroes are relevant to everyone, because at some point, everyone has had a hero. Sadly, today’s society degrades the meaning of the word “hero”. Heroes are an important aspect of life, but famous people are not always heroes. Scott LaBarge’s essay “Heroes: Why Heroes are Important” is well written because he effectively uses pathos, logos, and karios when explaining heroes to his audience.

Imagine being in a situation where there are a limited number of options and your life can only go in one direction. Has this ever happened to you? Either way, this is the predicament that the character of Jefferson faces in A Lesson Before Dying, who is sentenced to death for crimes that he did not commit. Although Jefferson has only thirty days left to live, he learns three valuable lessons that he carries with him into his final hours. This includes learning to open up to the people closest to him, showing kindness and love to those who have shown kindness to him, and finding self-worth in the age of Jim-Crow.

A Lesson Before Dying highlights the events surrounding the conviction and eradication of an innocent man. Prearranged in deep south during the 1940s, the book ostentatiousness many of the common racial injustices of the era. Despite the fact the book chronicles the events ultimately leading to Jefferson’s eradication, it is really more about the way Jefferson’s conviction transformed and modified others. The book culminates with the electrocution of Jefferson, which was apperceived throughout the town. From the origination of the book the reader knows Jefferson has a ghost of a chance.

“If you can tell me who your heroes are, I can tell you how you are going to turn out. It is really important to have the right heroes.” – Warren Buffet. Many people are looking for heroes in wrong places, and misunderstanding the term hero itself. Strength, bravery, courage, and honesty are the things most people think when the name hero pops. Doing a brave task, being a doctor, being a rich person, or even having a certain name does not make you a hero. It is very hard to describe a hero but a simple description of a true hero is a person that is being true to himself, does things that has to be done no matter what the circumstances are, never afraid to do what is right, and gives the best sincerely. In my point of view, true heroes exist in our world, and they are needed to protect us from the society we are living in and ourselves.

In “A Lesson Before Dying”, there is a tension between how Grant sees himself and how others in his community see him. Grant has gone to a University and is now a teacher in the quarter where he grew up. To his community Grant is the most educated person in the quarter and is constantly being admired by them. Most of the admiration comes from Miss Emma in hopes that Grant can transform Jefferson into a man before he is executed. Miss Emma states, “I want the teacher visit my boy.

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.

The historical fiction novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, features a falsely accused black man on death row in a small Cajun community during the late 1440s. Grant Wiggins, a college educated teacher of the black community, visits Jefferson in prison, an African American convicted of murder. During his trial, he was given a death sentence while referred as a hog. With the love of his godmother, Miss Emma, who sends Grant to teach him in proving himself a man, Jefferson receives the opportunity of representing his community as he dies. Tante Lou, a close friend of Miss Emma and Grant’s aunt, provides the assurance that Grant would prove Jefferson worthy a human.

Grant has gone to a University and is now a teacher in the quarter where he grew up. To his community, Grant is the most educated person in the quarter and is constantly being admired by them. Most of the admiration comes from Miss Emma in hopes that Grant can transform Jefferson into a man before he is executed. Miss Emma states, “I want the teacher visit my boy. I want the teacher make him know he’s not a hog, he’s a man” (pg.