A Lesson Before Dying Book Report

Almost everyone knows the right things to do. When a bully is picking on a victim, people around them know the right thing to do – stand up for the victim. However, knowing the right thing to do and doing the right thing are two very different things – the difference is courage. This is shown clearly in Ernest Gaines’ novel, A Lesson Before Dying, in Henrik Ibsen’s play, A Doll’s House, and a quote from the movie Hidden Figures. Courage is shown through Grant, Nora, and that “there’s no bathroom for me here” (0:31) from Hidden Figures respectively.

Given the title, A Lesson Before Dying, we can infer and predict that a character in the book will die. Also, we can predict that before they die, they will learn something, probably a valuable lesson

It is the easiest thing to infer that Jefferson didn’t like the idea of staying confined in a prison cell for a period of time, right before being electrocuted to death. However, a reader might not pick up on the concept that Jefferson shouldn’t be doing this, because he is innocent. The only reason he is locked up and put on death sentence is because of racial prejudice. The white men of the courtroom/jury had all voted him guilty just because his skin had a black pigment to it. After Jefferson and the lawyer representing his view had clearly explained that he was not guilty, the verdict was returned, stating that Jefferson was “guilty of robbery and murder in the first degree” (Gaines 8).

A Lesson Before Dying Chapter 23 We see Miss Emma, Reverend Ambrose, Paul, and Grant all trying to reach Jefferson in their own ways. Chapter focuses on human connection and the importance of empathy. One major conflict is between Grant and Reverend Ambrose about what Jefferson needs in his cell. Reverend Ambrose believes Jefferson needs God, not a radio, which he calls a "sin box."

Although the closing arguments in “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “A Lesson before Dying” are extremely different from one another, they both involve racism. Causing many similarities and differences to occur in the diction, tone, and persuasive techniques used, by each lawyer. For example, in the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” the lawyer, Atticus Finch, presents a trial where white is against black. The defendant has barely any chance of being found not guilty, so the lawyer’s closing argument needs to be convincing, powerful, and straight to the point. As well as, in the book “A Lesson before Dying” the lawyer takes a case where the defendant is black and the plaintiff is white. He too has to approach the jury with an influential closing argument,

In A Lesson Before Dying, the book shows the audience what it was like for blacks during the 1940s. The entire book is an example of what could have happened to any black man who lived in a small town in the South during that time period. Racism was very evident in the south in that point in time. Even though racism will always be there, the color of a person’s skin shouldn’t matter no one is better than anyone else in God’s eyes.

Jefferson was cruel; he did not care for nobody but himself. “Jefferson also dodged opportunities to undermine slavery or promote racial equality. As a state legislator he blocked consideration of a law that might have eventually ended slavery in the state.” .” (Finkelman, Paul, “The Monster of Monticello”. The New York Times. N.p. Nov, 30 2012. Web. 25, February 2014) African Americans were having chances to become freed or to become equal to as other races, but Thomas Jefferson did things that interfered with the process of freeing slaves and at the end the laws did not passed because of his decision. In fact Jefferson thought of slaves pesticides. According to Finkelman, “Jefferson told his neighbor Edward Coles not

He has been told his whole life he is nothing, but a hog. When Jefferson is on trial, the prosecutor says, “‘What justice would there be to take this life? Justice, gentlemen? Why, I would just as soon put a hog in the electric chair as this.”’ (8) Although, if he wasn’t being compared to a hog he wouldn’t have learned so much throughout his journey.

There were many themes in the novel, “A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest Gaines, such as racism, alcoholism, dignity, etc. The theme that best fits the novel is, that one man can make a difference in the lives of many. In this novel, the man is Jefferson, who was sent to prison without a fair trial because of racial prejudice. The theme, one man can make a difference in the lives of many, fits the book best because not only did Jefferson’s trial opened the eyes of the community to the racial prejudice that occurred, it also affected individual lives of Paul, the children in Bayonne, and Grant.

In Gaines’ book A Lesson Before Dying it’s about how a small town showing prejudice against a man named Jefferson, who is black and has been convicted of murder he did not commit and condemned to die. In the book, Gaines did not wastes any time creating a story with imagery, tense tones, and symbols that was full of sensitive antagonism and ruthless realism. The three literary devices used in the book are important because it teaches a great a lesson before dying; because “Only when the mind is free has the body a chance to be free” (Gaines 251). Similar to a scar that does not go away , the depressing unfair atmosphere oozes from the the beginning of the book with unambiguous imagery.

Instead of a death sentence, I would sentence Jefferson Davis to life in prison. This man did commit treason by leading a country that was viewed as illegally seceding. However, Davis did not desire to become president of the Confederate States of America. He rather had the desire to be the general of the Confederate states. A life in prison would ensure that Jefferson

A Lesson Before Dying is a novel that is greatly written by Ernest J. Gaines a American author. Which who has been writing, teaching and as well translating into many different languages. The book was originally published in 1993, who involves characters like Grant Wiggins, Tante Lou, Henri Pichot, Miss Emma, and as well Jefferson. The books main “lesson” is to understand the concept of our cold- blooded system and as well that we cannot remove racism from people’s human nature. The book had taught me a lot by understand how racism was back then had how it has a strong impact on our future and as well as how it did not change so much.

Grant Wiggins is the narrator of the novel. He was born in the plantation just outside of Bayonne, Louisiana. He lived there until he went away to college, and when he went back home, he was detached from the people in the town because of his education and different religious beliefs. He is easily angered and often very selfish. This is seen in the way that he acts towards Vivian. He consistently does not give her the attention or respect that she deserves. He refers to her children as simply, “the babies,” and only cares about the names of his and Vivian’s future children. Grant goes from shallow and selfish at the beginning of the story, to caring and loving at the end.

December 18, 1865, marked the end of African-American slavery in America, where-by black people gained more freedom in the land. However, a power imbalance between the black and white is still present. A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines gives readers insight to the immense abuse and hatred towards black people in the 1940s of America and furthers the reader's knowledge of black segregation and how the black people never gave up for their freedom and rights. The novel’s main plot follows Grant Wiggins, a young black man who was given the responsibility to make Jefferson, a black man who was unjustifiably accused of murder and sentenced to death by electrocution become truly a man and not a “hog” which is what the lawyer labeled Jefferson as. Throughout the novel, readers can recognize the great bond created as Grant encourages and aids Jefferson in becoming a man before his “judgment day”. Nevertheless, the novel was not only about Jefferson’s lesson before his death, but it was a lesson for many other characters in the novel. The most important lesson to learn before dying is the lesson of never give up, which can be seen through the actions of Jefferson, Miss Emma, and Grant.

It is an amazing gift to be alive, but many people don't see it that way. Most people actually live their lives without really living. They put their lives in other people's hands. They are afraid to really live, and without really living, they don't experience. Without experience, they don't learn and grow. When we really live, we have so much love to give to others. With all that love, we experience what it means to fully live. To be a loving individual is an incredible experience, and the time to start the journey to having a beautiful, fulfilling life would be right now.