The Struggle In Ernest J. Gaines A Lesson Before Dying

What would you do as an African American in a racially segregated community, watching each generation fail to overcome the limitations set by an oppressive society? Ernest J. Gaines addresses this struggle in his novel A Lesson Before Dying. An African American school teacher, Grant Wiggins living in the Jim Crow South, is forced to help a young African American boy, Jefferson, who is wrongly accused of murder. Grant is asked to help him regain his dignity before the execution. As Grant is visiting Jefferson, Grant’s bitter and cynical view of the future of the African Americans in his community turns to hopefulness and compassion. In the beginning of the novel, Grant is asked by his aunt and Jefferson’s godmother to visit Jefferson at the …show more content…
He believes that the racial segregation he and his people go through is unjust and demeaning, and he worries this cycle will continue generation after generation. Initially, Grant thinks it is his role to teach African American children to become contributing members of society so that they have a chance at breaking the cycle of racial inequality. Even though Grant wants to fix racial inequality, his attempts through teaching are futile and begins to believe things will never change. As Grant continues to visit Jefferson at the jailhouse, he begins to understand that one can not teach another to be stronger, but one must lead by example instead. He realizes Jefferson is the key to the success of the African American community. Jefferson must show the community he is strong and give them someone to look up to, but he can not succeed without Grant’s counsel. Grant’s harsh views on the African Americans in his community finally begin turning positive and optimistic after he sees Jefferson as a beacon of hope to the rest of the African American community, inspiring them to not stay complacent, but instead fight for a brighter future. Racial inequality still exits today, more than half a century later. The people in this world have never been more connected with one another, through technological advancements such as the internet, yet also never so disconnected with one another, choosing to ignore the overbearing problem of racism as long as it does not affect their own lives. We must fight for the rights of others. Racial stereotyping and police brutality still plague modern day society and we must continue fighting it, just as Grant and Jefferson did in the