The most important heroes are often unexpected and go unnoticed. In A Lesson Before Dying, Grant and Jefferson take center stage while Paul Bonin is forgotten. A Lesson Before Dying is written by Ernest Gaines. It is a story about a young black man named Jefferson, who is in the wrong place at the wrong time and sentenced to death for murders he did not commit. On behalf of his aunt and Jefferson’s godmother, Grant, the school teacher, visits an angry Jefferson in prison to try to turn him into a man. At this prison, there is a strict sheriff, the stern chief deputy, and a young deputy named Paul Bonin who eventually befriends Grant and Jefferson. Although Paul is not the obvious hero in A Lesson Before Dying, Paul’s growth from being a typical
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Grant arrived at the prison and entered: “When I came into the office, Paul looked at me straight in the face. He knew it was unnecessary to search me and the food, but he knew he had to do it. He also knew that he should not even think about not doing it. It was as much his duty as wearing the uniform and carrying the cell keys” (168). Paul sees the racial prejudice in searching Grant, yet he still does it as it is his duty. He knows it’s wrong but the social boundaries of keeping him from doing the right thing. He is being watched by the chief deputy and sticks to protocol. Grant returns to the prison with the radio and gives it to the sheriff: “I looked at Paul. He nodded and smiled. He probably would have said something encouraging if the sheriff had not been there” (177). Paul doesn’t think like the sheriff but still acts like him. He doesn’t have the same ideals but his duty to his job prevents him from acting of his own accord. He wouldn’t treat Grant as anything but inferior while under the watch of the sheriff. Paul has different beliefs than most white men, yet he still follows the customs in the earlier …show more content…
Grant asks Paul questions about Jefferson and after answering them he says, “We might as well call each other by our names.You’re Grant, aren’t you” (126)? Paul is initiating the beginning of a friendship with Grant. He is observant enough to know his name. He expects Grant to keep visiting Jefferson and he is willing to help Grant by keeping him informed on how Jefferson is doing. Despite it being against the custom for a black man to call a white man by his first name, he knows it is more practical. Paul comes into the black part of town to see Grant after Jefferson’s execution: “Paul stuck out his hand” (255). Paul is initiating a friendship with Grant. Grant is black man, while Paul is a white prison deputy. It is not proper for him to do this yet he doesn’t care. Despite their difference in race, they are both well educated and have some things in common, such as not believing in their job. Paul doesn’t believe that Grant and Jefferson are inferior to him and he is becoming friend to
Grant arrived at the prison and entered: “When I came into the office, Paul looked at me straight in the face. He knew it was unnecessary to search me and the food, but he knew he had to do it. He also knew that he should not even think about not doing it. It was as much his duty as wearing the uniform and carrying the cell keys” (168). Paul sees the racial prejudice in searching Grant, yet he still does it as it is his duty. He knows it’s wrong but the social boundaries of keeping him from doing the right thing. He is being watched by the chief deputy and sticks to protocol. Grant returns to the prison with the radio and gives it to the sheriff: “I looked at Paul. He nodded and smiled. He probably would have said something encouraging if the sheriff had not been there” (177). Paul doesn’t think like the sheriff but still acts like him. He doesn’t have the same ideals but his duty to his job prevents him from acting of his own accord. He wouldn’t treat Grant as anything but inferior while under the watch of the sheriff. Paul has different beliefs than most white men, yet he still follows the customs in the earlier …show more content…
Grant asks Paul questions about Jefferson and after answering them he says, “We might as well call each other by our names.You’re Grant, aren’t you” (126)? Paul is initiating the beginning of a friendship with Grant. He is observant enough to know his name. He expects Grant to keep visiting Jefferson and he is willing to help Grant by keeping him informed on how Jefferson is doing. Despite it being against the custom for a black man to call a white man by his first name, he knows it is more practical. Paul comes into the black part of town to see Grant after Jefferson’s execution: “Paul stuck out his hand” (255). Paul is initiating a friendship with Grant. Grant is black man, while Paul is a white prison deputy. It is not proper for him to do this yet he doesn’t care. Despite their difference in race, they are both well educated and have some things in common, such as not believing in their job. Paul doesn’t believe that Grant and Jefferson are inferior to him and he is becoming friend to