Racism and African-American Family Breakdown as Themes in Essay

In the beginning, that is when Grant is the most unsure about even bothering with Jefferson because his own hopelessness is gripping to terms about the situation. In the text it reads, “‘What do you want me to do.’ I asked her. ‘What can I do? It’s only a matter of weeks, a couple months, maybe’” (Gaines 13). Even before Miss Emma even told Grant what she expected and wanted from Grant, he already had an understanding of what was going to be asked and his immediate response was opposition and doubt. Grant emotionally is a pessimistic person who does not see the good in things. He sees that time is running out for Jefferson, and that nothing he can do will ever be able to change that. To continue, he felt like he was being expected to help Jefferson involuntarily. In the text it states, “‘You going with us up to the quarter,’ my aunt said, as though I hadn’t said a word. ‘You going up there with us, Grant, or you don’t sleep in this house tonight’” (Gaines 14). His aunt was notably forcing Grant to do something that he had no interest in. Grant had felt like in society, it was normal for men of color to be put into these situations and that there was no point

The black characters in the novel are all victims of this “separate but equal” mentality; the younger characters yearn for real equality and the older characters have settled in to their lives by accepting their “fate.” The existing structures of society in Bayonne, Louisiana prevent black characters such as Grant Wiggins and Vivian from ever breaking out of their social class; both are forced to remain in their lives as teachers of young black children who will also grow up to live limited lives. Wiggins says of his classroom, “I’m the teacher... and I

My objective for writing this essay on the black family was to examine and interrogate a myriad of stereotypes surrounding this family structure. Slavery and its inception need to be explored because it enables one to acquire a better understanding of the modern day black family. It is my hope that once we achieve this level of understanding, if not acceptance, that we may be able to start the healing process that is so necessary.

Towards the beginning of the novel Miss Emma asks Grant a huge favor by stating, “I don’t want them to kill a hog, I want a man to go to that chair, on his own two feet” (Gaines 13). Miss Emma knows that Grant is a teacher, and she believes that he can help teach Jefferson how to be a man before he is executed, because she does not want him dying without his dignity. College has made Grant more sophisticated than most other black men in his time. He still feels undervalued in the world he lives in, because the white men always make him feel inferior compared to themselves. In chapter 6, Grant states, “It seemed that he [Henri Pichot] and the Sherriff were doing everything they could to humiliate me even more by making me wait on

Grant’s feelings of superiority over black people is merely because of his education; this stops him from helping the innocent Jefferson. Grant’s anger comes from his racist mindset and it seems to take over him. "Don't be a damned fool. I am superior to

I had heard them all many times," Grant says (p. 33). This church and community that the women around him are all involved in just seem to Grant to be the same thing, a vicious circle of submission. It is not until Grant learns to put some faith in these women who are trying to make him realize that he can change and become a fully realized man, even if he just thinks they are all bending to the pressures of white

Leaning on her ability to persuade, and using her power as an extensive friend to Tante Lou she can basically tell Grant what to do and gets away with it. She knew Grant did not want to go and teach Jefferson, but still went ahead with it. Driving along the St. Charles River I could feel Emma not looking at me, not looking at anything..just thinking. Like my Aunt she knew how much I hated all of this.(p.68) Miss Emma therefore forces Grant to do matters that she wants, not what Grant thinks he is capable of doing. Thirdly, Vivian, the love of his life, is also limiting Grant's ability to make decisions based strictly on his own intent. She understands Grant's need to leave and see new things, but has restrictions in her life that will not allow her to help Grant begin a new existence. Vivian is in the middle of a drawn out divorce and needs to see it through so she can maintain custody of her children. We see an example of this on page 93. Let's go somewhere and spend the night. Baton Rouge, New Orleans- anywhere, Grant asks. I can't, My Babies. This sentence alone describes the turmoil she is going through with her own threatening aspects and how it effects Grant's choices. I think the book is an intriguing novel and surfaced important issues dealt with in society. Religion, racism, and many other articles of today are just a few. But, Grant is a complex character and can be depicted thoroughly. His education holds him

A Lesson before Dying, one of Ernest J. Gaines later works, was written in 1993. Some of his earlier works include A Gathering of Old Men and In My Father’s House. The novel covers a time period when blacks were still treated unfairly and looked down upon. Jefferson, a main character, has been wrongly accused of a crime and awaits his execution in jail. Grant, the story’s main protagonist must find it within himself to help Jefferson see that he is a man, which will allow him to walk bravely to his fate that lies in the execution chair. A Lesson before Dying captures the tale of a young teacher, who by helping another mistakenly finds his own soul. This paper explains the literary background of Gaines, facts about the novel, literary

After the civil war ended many blacks and whites especially in the south, continued living as if nothing had changed with regards to the oppressions and poor treatment of African Americans. Narrator Grant Wiggins, of the novel A Lesson Before Dying, By Ernest Gaines, finds himself in a similar situation towards racism. Through his experience Grant is forced to transform Jefferson who was wrongly accused of a murder from a “HOG” into a man. Although Grant was forced to make jefferson a man, he himself became more of one as a result. Grant transformed from an ignorant pessimistic person into a sensitive and compassionate human being.

The concept of family is one of many universal priorities amongst all Africans in all regions. Family is something that African families genuinely value and is considered the foundation for their standing in society. No matter how old you are, you are not considered an adult until you have had children. African parents do not feel complete until they become grandparents. And even if you are married you are not considered to have a family until you have children. African families have very strong foundations because they cherish their families, and are all very close knit. It is considered to be very common and normal to live in a household with both of your grandparents and sometimes even aunts and uncles.

Since both Grant’s aunt and Jefferson’s godmother asked Grant to turn Jefferson into a man before he dies in the electric chair, he feels obligated to do this task as he would feel guilty if he was just going to leave everyone but his girlfriend behind. He also came back to the plantation to teach children for he loves them dearly. If he doesn’t accomplish these tasks, he would feel depressed for the rest of his life, regretting his decision. In regards to his inner battles, he believes that there is no way he would be able to help Jefferson. “This prejudice he makes towards Jefferson and his ignorance helps reveal the meaning of the work that his conflict elucidates. The common meaning of the work is prejudice and racism affects everyone. Aside from the obvious, the jury, the police, and the majority of other white characters in the story that are constantly prejudice, Grants inner conflict plays a large role in the work’s theme.” (MegaEssays a Lesson Before Dying 1). While Grant has the constant battle within himself, as he doesn’t feel like he is capable to turn Jefferson into a man, for Grant doesn’t feel like a man either. Grant also has to deal with the women in his life which have quite different goals, ideals and beliefs than him. “He feels that they are all bending to the will of the whites and seems very frustrated that so few of them do not

Set in 1940s rural Louisiana, the novel is framed in a sociopolitical structure that is all too familiar and disturbingly simple: racial class structure that places Black Americans firmly under the shoes of their White counterparts. The setting was a deft choice by Gaines to illustrate his central theme, but also a necessary one. This story, set in a contemporary prison, Jefferson’s character would stretch credibility beyond the point of acceptance, making Grant’s task virtually impossible. The simplicity built into the racial divide in the 1940s the only one and makes possible everything that follows.

Finally Grant deserved to hear that! Grant has pushed his loved ones aside and by doing that he hurts them more.Though Grant is going through problems of his own, by no means does it gives him the right to release his anger and frustrations on the people that care about him. In a way he has developed hatred because he feels inferior to white people and in his eyes he viewed his aunt as his enemy for allowing that. Truly Grant is entitled for all the wrong reasons, he most likely never realized the sacrifices his aunt has made for him. To some extent Grant treats uneducated black people like how white people treat black people. He feels that he is above them and Reverend Ambrose puts Grant in his place during this passage. Attending school

“People always say that I didn't give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn’t true. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in”. As Grant Wiggins presented himself as a hero of discrimination for Jefferson and, the community. Discrimination within is segregation based off of one's race causing separation between the two deeming one inferior. Grant Wiggins, Paul Edgecomb are all heroes that support the film and book theme of discrimination much like Rosa Parks in her civil rights movement in 1955.

Racism is immoral and has no place in modern society. However, that was not the case in the United States during the Jim Crow era. 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. It was a time in which segregation and racism perforated the laws and society, a time in which African Americans were “separate but equal ”. Blacks were not seen as equal as they were seen as lesser than Whites. They were oppressed in many ways one is being restricted to vote, such regulations included literacy tests, poll taxes. The novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines is about a young, college-educated man and a wrongly convicted man, Grant Wiggins and Jefferson. Grant is asked to make a man out of Jefferson, who is convicted of killing a White man during a robbery in, which he was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. Grant is asked by Emma Lou, who is Jefferson Godmom to make a man out of Jefferson, so if anything, Jefferson can die a man and not a”Hog”. The term his own attorney used to describe him. While, trying to get through to Jefferson, Grant struggles because he is so far and separated from his own community. He holds resentment toward the White man and wants to get away from his town, which he thinks is an ongoing vicious cycle of misery. The novel depicts the social and racial injustices faced by African Americans in the