A Lesson Before Dying

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”, Ernest J. Gaines uses dialogue between the main characters, syntax, and diction to reveal the racial tensions that were apparent in during the time period.

There are numerous works of literature that recount a story- a story from which inspiration flourishes, providing a source of liberating motivation to its audience, or a story that simply aspires to touch the hearts and souls of all of those who read it. One of the most prevalent themes in historical types of these kinds of literature is racism. In America specifically, African Americans endured racism heavily, especially in the South, and did not gain equal rights until the 1960s. In her renowned book The Color Purple, Alice Walker narrates the journey of an African American woman, Celie Johnson (Harris), who experiences racism, sexism, and enduring hardships throughout the course of her life; nonetheless, through the help of friends and

Racism is a big part of this book. It shows the absurdity of what people thought back then, which is an important lesson. It is important for us to learn what people’s views used to be, and how important it is not to go back to that mindset.

“Twelve white men say a black man must die, and another white man sets the date and time without consulting one black person. Justice?” (Gains 157).

Our criminal justice system was founded on the premise that “all men are innocent until proven guilty.” However, the constitutional right to a fair trial was still not protected among many African American communities in the pre-civil rights era. A Lesson Before Dying, written by Ernest J. Gaines, is set in a small community in Louisiana. Many Whites in this small Cajun town were non-accepting toward Blacks due to self-perceived superiority. Although slavery had long since been abolished, racist sentiments were still widespread. One of the main struggles Blacks faced in this society was the constant struggle for equality and acceptance. For example, the menial perception of African Americans by Grant Wiggins is depicted when he stated, “Their

The reason I chose this book was because the title jumped up at me and my curiosity was aroused. I wanted to find out more about it. I was also drawn to the fact that the book was based on a true story. True stories interest me a lot and I instantly knew that I wanted to read this book. I also noticed that the book was a best seller and sold thousands of copies. As I read this book I’m glad that I choose it because it broadened my perspective on racism and the lengths that an individual is willing to go to in order to personally experience or understand a situation. This book has clearly

The memoir “How It Feels to Be Colored Me” by Zora Neale Hurston, was first published in 1928, and recounts the situation of racial discrimination and prejudice at the time in the United States. The author was born into an all-black community, but was later sent to a boarding school in Jacksonville, where she experienced “race” for the first time. Hurston not only informs the reader how she managed to stay true to herself and her race, but also inspires the reader to abandon any form of racism in their life. Especially by including Humor, Imagery, and Metaphors, the author makes her message very clear: Everyone is equal.

“A Lesson Before Dying” and “Into The Wild” are both books that defy the expected, tackle tough obstacles, and face the physical and mental extremes of life. Beginning with “Into The Wild”, Jon Krakauer leads us on a rich and insightful tour through the brash and lucid life of Chris McCandless. Followed by a well thought out, fiction novel featuring a sticky situation in a small Cajun community, “A Lesson Before Dying”, by Ernest J. Gaines. This split, self chosen, mini series takes us through a roller coaster of comparisons and contrasts, leading with the first noticeable major difference.

While we all would agree that racism is immoral and has no place in a modern society, that was not the case in the U.S. in the 1940s. At the time African Americans were treated as second-class citizens, it was made near-impossible for them to vote, and they were discriminated in many ways including in education, socially and in employment. It was a time in which segregation and racism perforated the laws and society, a time in which African Americans were “separate but equal,” segregation was legal and in full force. Apartheid was also everywhere from the books to in society. Blacks were not truly seen as equal as they were seen the the lesser of the two and it very much felt that way. Blacks were oppressed in many ways including having

Writing in the favor of black people has always remained controversial from the very beginning. Critics regard such writing as “a highly conventionalized genre” indicating that “its status as literature was long disputed but the literary merits of its most famous example such as Frederick Douglass 's Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass…are widely recognized today.” (Ryan:537) Despite of such severe resistance, writers like Douglass have penned down their autobiography to present the misery of their fellow beings.

When one chooses to focus on himself/herself and their own goals only, they lose their sense of hope in others and believe that they must escape from the world they live in. Sometimes, they even go as far as ignoring the people they love the most, and declining their request for help in time of dire need. However, an impactful event can be brought up in the world that changes their view from a selfish and self preservative perspective, to being committed to the issue, seeing it as the way to change their life and the community for the better. In Ernest J. Gaines’ novel, A Lesson Before Dying, introduces the reader to Grant Wiggins, who is a well educated school teacher in his mid twenties living a life in a segregated,

In 1925, Langston Hughes wrote in his poem “I, Too, Sing America” “Nobody’ll dare say to me “Eat in the kitchen,” then.” He responds to Walt Whitman’s poem “I Hear America Singing”, a poem about America’s greatness. When Hughes wrote his poem, blacks were extremely oppressed. They had no rights, such as not being allowed to eat in the actual restaurant. Throughout the book A Lesson Before Dying, set around the time of 1930, Ernest J. Gaines presents the same issues and the narrator, Mr. Grant Wiggins, wrestles with them throughout the book. An imbalance of power overtakes the the areas of education, the justice system and colorism in the town of Bayonne, Louisiana, and though some imbalances present hope, some are still wrestled with today. Even after desegregation, the education system still presents discrimination that keeps some inferior to others. A lack of supplies for black schools, causing a lesser education for the students, aids in the educational imbalance. Grant stressed to the white superintendent “Many of the books I have to use are hand me-downs from the white schools, Dr. Joseph, and they have missing pages” (Gaines 57). Grant’s school system fails its students. The supplies given to these schools do not help the students at all, and hinder the children’s learning. They give inadequate education to keep the whites more powerful, and the Superintendent encourages it. The superintendent places his worries on looks and hygiene during his visit to Grant’s school,

It is no secret that America’s history has been filled with constant oppression and ill treatments of African Americans and large amounts of discrimination toward their culture. Often times people cannot fathom what it is like to experience these inequities and only can get what it is like first hand through accounts of African Americans. Frederick Douglass and Maya Angelou both tell experiences where they were oppressed and demeaned just because of the color of their skin. Frederick Douglass’ “Learning to Read and Write” tells the account of how Douglass, a young slave, not only overcomes the depriving laws and norms of the time but also the smarts he used to be able to learn to read and write. Douglass had somehow convinced his

Throughout the novel, Jefferson exhibited various examples of never giving up. Shortly after his trial, Jefferson let the label of characterizing a hog, take over his life. A memorable but heartbreaking moment of the novel for the readers was when Grant went to visit Jefferson alone for the