Getting forced to work a case for a murderer is probably the hardest thing to do. Ernest J. Gaines was born in Louisiana. As a child, Gaines had always loved to write. In the novel A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest J. Gaines, Grant Wiggins is a hard working, African American teacher/lawyer and that everyone thinks is untrustworthy. The civilians do not trust that he will do the right thing. Everybody wants him to say no to Jefferson’s case because they believe Jefferson should be automatically sentenced to death. Should people really want him to lose a case on purpose? Why are they wanting him to lose? Do they really know the truth? Is it because he is black? The main point of this novel is to show that people are judging him because
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She wanted Grant to go see Jefferson in prison. She wanted him to show Jefferson how to die with dignity. She knew that Jefferson was not going to win the case so she started planning for his execution. Not only was she his godmother, she was also the maid. She knew about everything that was going on, there were no secrets. Her wanting Grant to show Jefferson how to die shocked him. He did not know what to do.
Later on, Grant ended up visiting Jefferson in prison. When Miss Emma had asked what happened and how the visit went, Grant lied and said it went very well. Grant was told by Reverend Ambrose that he should teach Jefferson to be a Christian so he can die knowing that he was with God, and that he had dignity. Grant did not talk to Jefferson about it because he believed that you do not have to know God to die with dignity. Yes, it would be easier and better to have God by your side when you are going through that kind of thing because, that way, you will know that He will be with you through it …show more content…
There was a huge, negative impact on himself because of his weakness towards the communities. An officer wanted Jefferson to say that he was treated fairly, even when he was not. The truth was, the jail was segregated and he was not treated fairly at all. Grant is narrating Jefferson’s life and everything that is going on with his death sentence. The article says,”...the system of Jim Crow will break down educated men like Grant and prisoners like Jefferson to ‘the nigger you were born to be.’” The racism in this novel is unreal. They want to believe that Jefferson is the one that committed the crime. Grant was sent to the prison to talk to Jefferson about human dignity. Jefferson doesn’t listen because his lawyer called him a hog and he is okay with it. Jefferson and Grant have really nothing different between them. They both went to college but the only difference between them is that they are in different classes financially. All the people on his side about this cannot really do anything about it but be there for him. They say that if he should die, he shall do it with dignity. The day of Jefferson’s execution is approaching and he stops listening to Grant. He stops listening to the advice about dying like a man. Later, Grant finds himself falling in love with a white woman. Grant must save either
She wanted Grant to go see Jefferson in prison. She wanted him to show Jefferson how to die with dignity. She knew that Jefferson was not going to win the case so she started planning for his execution. Not only was she his godmother, she was also the maid. She knew about everything that was going on, there were no secrets. Her wanting Grant to show Jefferson how to die shocked him. He did not know what to do.
Later on, Grant ended up visiting Jefferson in prison. When Miss Emma had asked what happened and how the visit went, Grant lied and said it went very well. Grant was told by Reverend Ambrose that he should teach Jefferson to be a Christian so he can die knowing that he was with God, and that he had dignity. Grant did not talk to Jefferson about it because he believed that you do not have to know God to die with dignity. Yes, it would be easier and better to have God by your side when you are going through that kind of thing because, that way, you will know that He will be with you through it …show more content…
There was a huge, negative impact on himself because of his weakness towards the communities. An officer wanted Jefferson to say that he was treated fairly, even when he was not. The truth was, the jail was segregated and he was not treated fairly at all. Grant is narrating Jefferson’s life and everything that is going on with his death sentence. The article says,”...the system of Jim Crow will break down educated men like Grant and prisoners like Jefferson to ‘the nigger you were born to be.’” The racism in this novel is unreal. They want to believe that Jefferson is the one that committed the crime. Grant was sent to the prison to talk to Jefferson about human dignity. Jefferson doesn’t listen because his lawyer called him a hog and he is okay with it. Jefferson and Grant have really nothing different between them. They both went to college but the only difference between them is that they are in different classes financially. All the people on his side about this cannot really do anything about it but be there for him. They say that if he should die, he shall do it with dignity. The day of Jefferson’s execution is approaching and he stops listening to Grant. He stops listening to the advice about dying like a man. Later, Grant finds himself falling in love with a white woman. Grant must save either