Jefferson is steadily making progress, but he had a major breakthrough when Miss Emma, Tante Lou, Reverend Ambrose, and Grant all went together to visit him in the dayroom at the courthouse. When Jefferson arrived, he sat quietly slumped on the bench, not touching his food. Grant ended up taking a walk with Jefferson around the room so that they could talk alone. In hopes that he would get Jefferson to stop acting numb, Grant wanted him to please Miss Emma. He explained, “It would mean so much to her if you would eat some of the gumbo.” (Gaines 156) He goes on to say that Jefferson has the ability to do so much good, even though his time is limited. Grant expressed how much potential Jefferson had to make people happy; to become a hero. When
