What Is Grant's Transformation In A Lesson Before Dying

Ernest Gaines a Lesson Before Dying is a novel which setting takes place in a time of discrimination for many African Americans in the south. The novel two main characters are Grant a well-educated black man who is a teacher and Jefferson a young black man who is accused of a heinous crime and is on death row. The Novel also has other main characters who play important roles in the story such as Tante Lou - Grant’s aunt and Miss Emma Jefferson’s godmother. The reader can witness that that Grant and Jefferson both undergo significant transformations through the novel. Jefferson’s transformation was even apparent to the guard whom at the end of the story who admits being a witness the progression of Jefferson. Grant at the beginning was a helpless black man who wants to leave town with his girlfriend because of the treatment of blacks in the south, the possible opportunities elsewhere, and the responsibility of making Jefferson to a man. Grant became a man who makes a great …show more content…
Thought the novel the reader can see that Grants perspective on religion, his relationship with Jefferson and the understanding of each other and his relationship with Tante Lou, Miss Emma, and Vivian changed from the beginning, middle, and end of the novel. At the beginning of the story grant did not have faith in god he was an atheist and although Grant did not believe in god he is still required by the school system to require his class to recite bible verses making his class seem as a church at times. Grant teaching his class religion creates an inner conflict within himself even seeming even to have an annoyance with teaching his class bible verses. Reverend Ambrose a religious man has a critical opinion on Grant who