A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest J. Gaines and None of this is Fair, by Richard Rodriguez

My first claim is that Grant sacrifices time and dignity for others. On page 47 and 48 in the book, Grant is trying to visit Jefferson in prison and is talking with

In A Lesson Before Dying by author Ernest J Gaines, Grant is the protagonist who is trying to do the right thing for his people. Grant is in a very turbulent situation, having to make Jefferson into a “man” by the time he is executed. This is the central plot of the story, but not the main themes and ideas of it. Grant is struggling to help Jefferson because he sees generations of injustice through him. “’We got our first load of wood last week,’ [Grant] told him. ‘Nothing changes,’ he said.” (Gaines, 53). The response Grant’s teacher gives him has a deeper meaning: he as Grants’ teacher failed to change the injustice and racism and Grant is in the same situation. “Nothing changes”, but Grant does not give up for the sake of Jefferson, his people, and most importantly, himself. At one point, Grant actually reveals that “it is too heavy a burden because of all the others who have run away and left their burdens behind. So, he,

The defense attorney states “Gentlemen of the jury...Look at the shape of his skull, this face as flat as the palm of my hand-look deep at those eyes. Do you see a modicum of intelligence?” (Gaines 7). In the quote the attorney is trying to use Jefferson’s race as a means of the jury acquitting him, saying that his race make him lack the cognitive ability to know right from wrong. This is the very systematic racism that Grant despises and see to be so evident in his society. Later the lawyer elaborates saying “What justice would there be to take his life? Why, I would just as soon put a hog in the electric chair as is” (Gaines 8). In the text the lawyer is reiterating himself to the jury insulting Jefferson’s intelligence solely based on race even comparing him to a hog which later psychologically scars

Of law, education and religion, one had to empower Jefferson and Grant. The law was clearly outside their realm of influence. However, education opened the door for Jefferson and Grant to share dialogue and to explore who they were and how they could be empowered. It was religion, their search for a greater meaning and a higher power, which allowed them to begin to think not of what white men thought of them, but rather what God and what they thought of themselves. With this new way of thinking, they forged a bond and both began to understand the simple heroic act of resistance in defying the expectation of white society that they were members of a lesser race " ‘Do you know what a myth is, Jefferson?’ I asked him. ‘A myth is an old lie that people believe in. White people believe that they are better than anyone else on earth—and that’s a myth. The last thing they ever want is to see a black man stand, and think and show that common humanity that is in us all. It would destroy their myth’ " (192).

“You don’t get to choose how you’re going to die and when, you can only decide how you are going to live”. (Joan Baez). In the novel A Lesson Before Dying, written by Ernest J. Gaines, Jefferson doesn’t get to choose how and when he’s going to die, but he learns valuable lessons from Grant about how to live the rest of his life. This novel takes place in Bayonne, Louisiana, in the late 1940s. Jefferson is a twenty-one-year-old uneducated black man, who is accused of a robbery and murder that he did not commit. Unfortunately, the conviction led to his death by execution. While he is in jail, Jefferson’s grandmother wants him to die a hero, so she turns to Grant Wiggins, a black teacher at the local plantation school. During his time in

Grant is constantly having an eternal battle within himself on whether or not he is willing to take action against the white despotism. When Jefferson 's case is first brought up to Grant by Miss Emma and his aunt, he responds by saying, “Yes, I’m the teacher...And I teach what the white folks around here tell me to teach—reading, writing, and ’rithmetic. They never told me how to keep a black boy out of a liquor store" (Gaines ch 2). His whole education has revolved around the white system and what they want him to know and do. He feels that because he has been taught by the white-American

Through Grant’s actions it is easy to see he is not comfortable with his life. He lives in a small, racially discriminated and prejudiced town, and is a college educated man treated like a man who hasn’t finished elementary school. Adding Jefferson’s situation on top of all that, it is easy to see how Grant desires to simply give up and run away with the love of his life, Vivian. But Grant realizes that the issues at hand are bigger than just him; the way Jefferson dies will have a lasting impact, much like Christ’s crucifixion, on the local community. He understands that the dignity Jefferson shows in

Inequality is a theme that runs throughout all of history. Harper Lee uses the theme of inequality in her book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Tom Robinson must deal with inequality when he is accused of a crime he didn’t commit because no one will trust a black man over a white man. The Cunningham family must face discrimination because of their lack of money. Scout even faces inequality when she tries to play with Jem and Dill. The theme of inequality is a strong one in Lee’s book, and her use of inequality doesn’t only define racism, but also discrimination based on wealth and gender.

Jefferson can’t escape from the hands of the government because he's in jail and will be getting the chair because he is found guilty for murder. As the novel progresses, Grant decides to visit Jefferson despite the fact he does not see the purpose. The visits do not go well at first, however; the visits start to get better.

Since Jefferson was a stubborn man, Grant struggled to communicate with him during their first few visits. Gradually, Jefferson changes his attitude towards the point that he was convicted of a crime he did not commit, and the fact that he was called a hog, and a fool. and walks

Grant’s visit with Jefferson included them having to deal with their differentiating personalities. Jefferson’s defiant persona does not make it easy for Grant to help make him a better person. Grant would end up telling Jefferson that “ I want to help those people as much as I can” (Gaines 129). Grant is trying to show Jefferson that he is a very helpful person that wants to help people in need as much as possible. It is very important for Grant to be helpful with Jefferson because it took a lot of effort to convince Jefferson that he has importance to society. By Grant being helpful in this situation, he was able to become more tolerable of Jefferson which makes him more determined to change Jefferson into a better person. This means that Grant’s helpful personality is important in accomplishing their goal. On the contrary, Jefferson has a defiant attitude that does not want to receive any help. This causes some major issues between Grant and Jefferson because Jefferson does not want to receive Grant’s help. Jefferson responded to Grant’s help by telling him, “ Keep on vexing me-bet you I’ll scream” (Gaines 130). Jefferson is trying to tell Grant that all he is doing is bugging him and that he wants to scream at him for it. At this point, Jefferson is feeling angry towards Grant for him trying to make him better. Jefferson feels as if he is not going to change at all and that Grant is just making him agitated. Also, this is a delay for Jefferson’s development into a better person because Jefferson acting agitated and stubborn would only make it harder for Grant to help him out. Thus, Grant and Jefferson’s clash of personalities makes it difficult for them to achieve their

At the end of the book, Jefferson was executed, but he died a man. He grew from believing he was nothing more than some old hog, to walking in a straight line with his head held high when he died. Grant didn’t seem much different at the end than he was at the beginning. He didn’t have anything to show for any progress he might have made while Jefferson not only had written proof, but many people were there to bear witness to how much of a man he truly

Grant isn’t like other people in the town so he understand why Jefferson is the way he is but still works with him. In the beginning of the book when Jefferson is at trial he was called a hog, Miss Emma wanted Grant to help Jefferson die a man and not a hog. Grant thinks that giving Jefferson a role model for him to look up to will be important and help him have a better understand making him a man in the electrocution chair. “Easter was when they nailed him to the cross. And he never said a mumbling word” (139). Jefferson used Jesus as his Role Model, Jefferson learns over the time in the jail like Jesus was that Death itself is a part of a young mans life and that its a symbol of innocence and moral purity. While Grant walks around the Day room Jefferson says

Becoming a highly analyzed novel, many critics speak about their feelings. Carl Senna, one a literary critic, discusses the reasons for lack of communication in A Lesson before Dying. A large part of their communication problem comes directly from their class differences. Although Grant is not considered rich, he is well educated and lives rather comfortably, whereas Jefferson is nearly illiterate and has been a struggling farmhand most of his life. This gap that separates them makes it very difficult for them to speak. Neither one of them is at fault for this, but it frustrates Jefferson to the point where he often wants to leave the jail cell and not return. Also Grant speaks with Jefferson "reluctantly, prompted by his aunt, a moralizing scold and a nag"(Senna 5). Another good point Senna makes is that because of the time period, blacks were struggling to become equals and were more engrossed with their own wants and needs than worrying about Jefferson. Yes, they all realized that he is innocent but they are not at a time where they can fight for the innocence of this young boy. Therefore Grant "becomes their instrument in trying to save him[Jefferson] from disgrace"(Senna 5). Jefferson was not seen as much to these

Before the 1950s, conditions for African-Americans were not good at all in many areas of life. When the Great