a lesson before dying grant essay

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A Lesson Before Dying

Ernest gaines.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Ernest Gaines's A Lesson Before Dying . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

A Lesson Before Dying: Introduction

A lesson before dying: plot summary, a lesson before dying: detailed summary & analysis, a lesson before dying: themes, a lesson before dying: quotes, a lesson before dying: characters, a lesson before dying: symbols, a lesson before dying: theme wheel, brief biography of ernest gaines.

Historical Context of A Lesson Before Dying

Other books related to a lesson before dying.

• Full Title: A Lesson Before Dying
• Where Written: 1989-1993
• When Published: 1993
• Literary Period: Realist fiction
• Genre: Novel of education
• Setting: 1940s Louisiana
• Climax: Jefferson’s execution
• Antagonist: Henri Pichot, Sheriff Sam Guidry
• Point of View: First person

Extra Credit for A Lesson Before Dying

For once, a great made-for-TV movie: In 1999, A Lesson Before Dying was adapted as a film for HBO. Don Cheadle played Grant, and Mekhi Phifer played Jefferson. The film was a success, winning the Emmy for Best Made for Television Movie.

They Don’t Have Creative Writers in France? In 1996, Ernest Gaines spent a semester in France at the University of Rennes. There, he taught the first creative writing class ever to be offered in the French University system.

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A Lesson Before Dying

By ernest j. gaines, a lesson before dying essay questions.

Does the behavior of Reverend Ambrose reflect well or poorly on Christianity as a whole? Explain your reasoning.

Like the other characters in the novel, Reverend Ambrose sometimes makes mistakes and behaves immaturely. However, he ultimately possesses a kind of strength that Grant lacks, and is a demonstration of how religion can help people survive adverse circumstances. Ambrose's vindictive condemnations of Grant's agnosticism make him seem immature at times, an impression that is compounded by his jealousy of Grant's early success with Jefferson. However, he is able to do the right thing when Grant is not, bringing news of Jefferson's execution date to Miss Emma, and witnessing the execution while Grant teaches school. As Grant says at the end of the novel, religion can give strength to people in need even if one disagrees with its tenets.

Discuss the style of Jefferson's diary. Why does Gaines make Jefferson's writing style so different from Grant's?

Jefferson's writing style, rife with misspellings and grammatical errors, reveals his lack of education and also his emotional stress. Unlike Grant, who understands most of what he sees, Jefferson often does not grasp the meaning of what is going on around him. This emphasizes Jefferson's innocence and the injustice of his cruel treatment.

How are mulattos portrayed in the novel? Why does Grant take the time to explain the prejudices mulattos have against full African-Americans?

Mulatto men, such as Matthew Antoine and the bricklayers with whom Grant brawls, are portrayed as bitter and prejudiced against full-blooded blacks. However, Vivian is also mulatto and she is kind, beautiful, and well-liked by people of every race. Their portrayal in the novel suggests that anyone can be racist, even those who are victims of racism itself, and there are good and bad people of ethnicity.

Is Grant a good teacher? How do his teaching strategies reflect his character development?

At the beginning of the novel, Grant is a very apathetic teacher who believes that he cannot make any difference in his students' miserable lives. He often leaves his classroom in the care of older students or Irene Cole, the student teacher. Vivian, who is also a teacher, encourages Grant to become more active in his students' lives, and he holds a Christmas pageant for them and becomes outraged at their lack of textbooks. At the end of the novel, he is much more dedicated to his job, overcoming the emotional moment of Jefferson's death to try to help the next generation avoid the same fate.

Discuss the role of food in A Lesson Before Dying .

Many detailed descriptions of Cajun cuisine appear in the novel. Gaines describes the meals Miss Emma makes for Jefferson in great detail, and Grant frequently dines with Vivian at the Rainbow Club. Food, then, is a symbol of love and friendship, and it reflects the essential role that these play in the lives of the characters. Food also serves as an indicator of Jefferson's maturity, when he changes his mind and requests Miss Emma's cooking instead of a gallon of ice cream for his last meal. The descriptions of food also showcase the local culture, something Grant worries will be lost due to prejudice and black people abandoning their regional mannerisms.

How does Grant's self-image change over the course of the novel?

At the beginning of the novel, Grant holds himself aloof from the people in the quarter because he is more educated than they are, and longs to move to the North with Vivian. However, Jefferson teaches him that dignity is intrinsic and not tied to education. After teaching Jefferson, Grant knows that his job as a schoolteacher is vital and important, and his self-esteem is based on that rather than his college degree.

What is the significance of Jefferson's attorney's statement that Jefferson is a "hog" and too stupid to plan a murder?

Although Jefferson's lawyer believes that this argument will acquit him, it does not save him from execution, and it destroys his dignity. In prison, Jefferson constantly repeats that he is a hog and behaves like one. In order to impart strength and dignity to Jefferson, Grant must convince him first that he is a human, which he does by teaching him empathy.

What is the significance of the digression about the Joyce short story, "Ivy Day in the Committee Room"?

Although Grant does not initially understand the relevance of the story to African-Americans, he later interprets it to be about how much people value their heroes. The inclusion of the Joyce story adds a literary dimension to Grant's discussion of the sports heroes Jackie Robinson and Joe Louis. The story helps Grant come to the conclusion that a true hero must show empathy and consideration for others, and this is the lesson he imparts to Jefferson.

How does Gaines complicate Henri Pichot's character? How does he develop over the course of the novel?

Initially, the wealthy plantation owner Henri Pichot seems like more of a caricature than Gaines's other characters. However, it becomes clear that despite his coldness and heavy drinking, he usually does the right thing when Miss Emma asks him for help with Jefferson. At the end of the novel, it is apparent that even his brief interaction with Jefferson has left him a changed man; he is kind to Jefferson at the end of the novel and gives him his pocket knife as a gift.

Why does Grant believe the women in the quarter are so possessive? Does Gaines seem to endorse this view, or does the novel undercut it?

Grant believes that the women from the quarter are possessive because Southern black men have only two options: to lose their dignity at the hands of white men, or to flee the region and live in the North. According to Grant, women are waiting for a black man who can retain his dignity while also being a good husband and father in the South. He seems to believe that men bear the brunt of racism's effects, while women escape the worst suffering and still expect men to provide for them. However, Gaines undercuts this worldview with numerous examples of strong, self-sufficient women, such as Tante Lou, who works hard so Grant can attend college, and Vivian, who has her own job and lives independently of her husband and family.

A Lesson Before Dying Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for A Lesson Before Dying is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Grant’s girlfriend is a light skin Catholic mother of two who is not get divorced. How do these differences create tension in the relationship?

The color of Vivian's skin creates tensions because of their biracial relationship, which is not accepted during this time period. The fact that Vivian is still married means that her relationship with Grant could cause her to lose custody of her...

Lessons before dying Chapter 29,30,31 *NEEDED*

Does the chair, and the truck (it’s black) serve as some form of symbolism?

When it arrives in a large black truck, the chair in which Jefferson must die represents many different reactions from people in the town. The truck itself is black: the...

Gaines uses the first person point of view to tell the story of Grant Wiggins. That is, Wiggins tells the story himself as the events affect him. By using his voice, Gaines can easily portray the intense emotions that Wiggins feels in relationship...

Study Guide for A Lesson Before Dying

A Lesson Before Dying study guide contains a biography of Ernest J. Gaines, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About A Lesson Before Dying
• A Lesson Before Dying Summary
• Character List

Essays for A Lesson Before Dying

A Lesson Before Dying literature essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines.

• Belief and Teachings
• The Art of Storytelling: Gaines's Authorial Talents in 'A Lesson Before Dying'
• The Psychological Events of Jefferson

Lesson Plan for A Lesson Before Dying

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to A Lesson Before Dying
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• A Lesson Before Dying Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for A Lesson Before Dying

• Introduction

“A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest Gaines Essay

Introduction, jefferson and grant, works cited.

As Jefferson nears its end due to a wrongful conviction of conspiracy to murder, a revelation is manifested that shows a society full of racial discrimination but the very society is in desire to overcome racism. The main events of the novel happen away from Jefferson who awaits execution in a filthy jail cell. The paper will look into how racism influenced Grant and Jefferson throughout the novel ‘A Lesson Before Dying’.

After the end of World War II, the poor people of black origin who were illiterate and were residing in the south began a process of self-realization and discovery (Fredrickson, 79). While the world over celebrated, lives of many black men in Bayonne and Louisiana hardly changed (Rosengarten, 112). This was a true reflection of Jefferson and Grant. Poverty and racism exhibited in the lives of blacks who lived in Bayonne illustrated by the poor conditions of their schools or squalor settlements compared to their whites’ counterparts (Memmi, 112). “There was a Catholic Church uptown for whites; a Catholic church back of town for coloured. There was a white movie theatre uptown; a colored movie theatre back of town. There were two elementary schools uptown and the same back of town for coloured (Miles & Brown, 134).

The few blacks who were educated like Grant are full of bitterness because they can see vividly and comprehend the problem of racism facing them (Gaines, 45). Attempts by Grant for improvement are observed as a major threat by the majority of the whites who are the rulers. Gaines (79) notes that this is illustrated when Sheriff Guidry tells Grant that “Maybe you’re just a little too smart for your own good.” Both Grant and Jefferson suffer a fair share of racism. Grant is often searched for contraband every time he visits Jefferson in jail. Grant is also offensively shown a lot of discourtesy by a salesgirl when he purchases a radio.

The full indication and impacts of racism is shown by Jefferson way before the bar brawl that left the owner dead. He had no cent in his pocket and was uneducated. His job was hauling water using a cart to his fellow workers. The prospects of a better future for him were dismal. He is condemned to death by the entire community at large after living what seemed to be a worthless life. In the initial stages of his visits, Jefferson is portrayed as a racial stereotype who rejects attempts of making peace before his execution. He is spiritually and literally imprisoned. Eventually he begins to open up during subsequent visits and undergoes a profound transformation until he expresses a sense of self-realization and worth. During the 10 th visit, his self-imprisonment ends as Jefferson thanks the children for their presents and works with Grant for emotional empowerment. As his execution nears, he finds respect for his community and gains regard from the upper ruling class (Gaines, 98).

Jefferson and Grant fight different ways to overcome racism. Jefferson’s last words truly indicate that he has indeed triumphed over racial discrimination and evolved to salvation. Jefferson dies with dignity and as a hero because through his stint in prison and during his death many people learn from his transformation including Grant who helps Jefferson to realize it and make peace with himself before his death.

Fredrickson, George. Racism : A short history. New York: Princeton University Press, 2002.

Gaines, Ernest. A Lesson Before Dying. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1994.

Memmi, Albert. Racism. New York: University of Minnesota Press, 2000.

Miles, Robert & Brown, Malcolm. Racism. New York: Routledge, 2003.

Rosengarten, Theodore. All God’s Dangers: The Life of Nate Shaw. New York: Broadway Books, 1989.

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