A Lesson Before dying is a book by Earnest Gains that was first published in 1993, it is set in post second world war Louisiana; this book follows the narrator Grant Wiggins as he tries to convince a man on death roll of not dying as a hog, but as a man. There are many factors that play into this book 's success (for example: its written style) but the main reason is how well its setting ties into the central theme of facing racial injustice. The author 's use of events that can only be possible in the south during the late 1940s allows his readers to feel and understand more about the struggle of Negros of coping with injustice and overcoming it. These events are: Jefferson 's trial where the court sentences him to death and his actual execution.
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If this had taken place in modern day Louisiana the judge would most likely have the lawyer 's license to practice law, and not to mention the lawyer would become the most hated man in Louisiana and into a laughing stock of all forms of social media. This sort of appeal --insulting to not only Jefferson but also racist because it showed the lawyer thoughts about how intelligent Black people are -- would not have been tolerated if this trial took place in the 21st century. However, on the other side of the spectrum had it taken place in the 19th century, well, there wouldn 't be a trial; Jefferson as a black man would have been a slave, and would probably have been whipped to death by his owner. This trial shows the reader how far equality for Negros have come from being whipped to death to getting a trial that sentences them to death (false justice)...but obviously also not far enough, which ties into the theme of facing racial injustice. Jefferson 's trial forces his godmother to try and find any shred of dignity she can for not just a man innocent of all charges (this includes being a hog) save for being with born dark skin. The actions of the godmother (Ms. Emma) causes Grant to come face to face multiple times with the horrible realization that the racism might be inescapable. However, he eventually learns how to cope by looking at the little victories (this is also a lesson to the
If this had taken place in modern day Louisiana the judge would most likely have the lawyer 's license to practice law, and not to mention the lawyer would become the most hated man in Louisiana and into a laughing stock of all forms of social media. This sort of appeal --insulting to not only Jefferson but also racist because it showed the lawyer thoughts about how intelligent Black people are -- would not have been tolerated if this trial took place in the 21st century. However, on the other side of the spectrum had it taken place in the 19th century, well, there wouldn 't be a trial; Jefferson as a black man would have been a slave, and would probably have been whipped to death by his owner. This trial shows the reader how far equality for Negros have come from being whipped to death to getting a trial that sentences them to death (false justice)...but obviously also not far enough, which ties into the theme of facing racial injustice. Jefferson 's trial forces his godmother to try and find any shred of dignity she can for not just a man innocent of all charges (this includes being a hog) save for being with born dark skin. The actions of the godmother (Ms. Emma) causes Grant to come face to face multiple times with the horrible realization that the racism might be inescapable. However, he eventually learns how to cope by looking at the little victories (this is also a lesson to the