The black community in the novel, A Lesson Before Dying, has had to deal with being discriminated against and having their freedom limited all their lives. It is rare for a black American to be educated and speak English properly, so none of the white people in Grant’s area expect to come in contact with anyone that has these abilities. The black Americans are unable to work any other professional job except being a teacher, which results in their freedom being taken away from them. Grant explains to the superintendent of the school that, “ ‘ [he] [does] [not] have all the books [he] [needs]. In some classes [he] [has] two children studying out of one book. And even with that, some of the pages of the book are missing. [He] [needs] more paper to write on, [he] [needs] more chalk for the blackboards, [he] [needs] more pencils, [he] even [needs] a better heater.’ ” The superintendent, Dr. Joseph, responds with saying that, “ ‘ [they] [are] all in the same shape, Higgins’ ” (57). When the black American school’s superintendent, Dr. Joseph, comes to inspect the learning environment and how the students are progressing, Grant explains to the him that they are in need of supplies to help the students have a better learning experience. The superintendent tells Grant that the white schools are in the same condition and are also in need of supplies. He makes it seem that the black schools are receiving the same treatment as the white schools, and both Grant and the superintendent know that that was not true. The black schools are also not given as big of an opportunity to have the students become educated as the white schools, for they are given more supplies and learning resources. Having being lied to and not being given the same treatment as the white schools is an addition to what makes Grant feel emotionally imprisoned and “not
The black community in the novel, A Lesson Before Dying, has had to deal with being discriminated against and having their freedom limited all their lives. It is rare for a black American to be educated and speak English properly, so none of the white people in Grant’s area expect to come in contact with anyone that has these abilities. The black Americans are unable to work any other professional job except being a teacher, which results in their freedom being taken away from them. Grant explains to the superintendent of the school that, “ ‘ [he] [does] [not] have all the books [he] [needs]. In some classes [he] [has] two children studying out of one book. And even with that, some of the pages of the book are missing. [He] [needs] more paper to write on, [he] [needs] more chalk for the blackboards, [he] [needs] more pencils, [he] even [needs] a better heater.’ ” The superintendent, Dr. Joseph, responds with saying that, “ ‘ [they] [are] all in the same shape, Higgins’ ” (57). When the black American school’s superintendent, Dr. Joseph, comes to inspect the learning environment and how the students are progressing, Grant explains to the him that they are in need of supplies to help the students have a better learning experience. The superintendent tells Grant that the white schools are in the same condition and are also in need of supplies. He makes it seem that the black schools are receiving the same treatment as the white schools, and both Grant and the superintendent know that that was not true. The black schools are also not given as big of an opportunity to have the students become educated as the white schools, for they are given more supplies and learning resources. Having being lied to and not being given the same treatment as the white schools is an addition to what makes Grant feel emotionally imprisoned and “not