The Importance of Jefferson 's death in
A lesson Before Dying Essay
By:Abbas Rizvi
Mr.Tompkins P.5
In A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, Jefferson 's death accomplished a lot more than his life could. It helped people understand that black people are just as powerful as white people. Jefferson 's death caused many people to notice how he shattered the myth that white people are better than black people. Jefferson’s death thought some people that blacks and whites are in fact equal or even better than white people. When Jefferson proves that he is not a hog, he had shown that white men are not superior to black men.
Grant wanted Jefferson to prove to himself that he is not a hog, he wanted Jefferson to see that white people are not …show more content…
I want you-yes, you-to call them liars. I want you to show them that you are as much as a man-More a man than they could ever be. That jury? You Call them men? That Judge? Is he a man?”(Gaines 190). Jefferson had thought of himself as a hog just because a white man said so and because of that he believed it. Grant thought that Jefferson is a man and he is not just a hog. Grant also taught him how white people are not superior to black people and how he should help “chip away at that myth”. Jefferson ultimately did this by thinking of himself as a man and going up to the chair as a man. Jefferson death did more than he could have done alive and showed everyone how white people are not superior to black people. Jefferson also understands that he should, in fact, try to stop the myth from being true and he did this by showing resistance to white hierarchy. “In Jefferson 's resistance to the white …show more content…
Jefferson showed that he was strong while dying, “He was the strongest man in that crowded room”(Gaines 253). When Jefferson was being executed, he showed the most courage even though he was the one being executed and he showed the world that he was not a hog, but was a man. He was confident that he did as much as he could during his life to help the black community. Jefferson also broke the myth that white people are better than black people. “Eventually he (Grant) becomes involved in Jefferson’s plight, and in the end, it will benefit both of them. He will teach Jefferson to live for a while and to die with dignity. Jefferson, in turn, will help Grant find himself.”(Writing A Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines) Jefferson showed how white people are not better than black people by not thinking of himself as a hog and because of this he helped shatter the myth of white people being superior to blacks. Jefferson also helped Grant notice what he could do and how he could actually help someone, which he thought he could not do before. Jefferson gives Grant
A lesson Before Dying Essay
By:Abbas Rizvi
Mr.Tompkins P.5
In A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, Jefferson 's death accomplished a lot more than his life could. It helped people understand that black people are just as powerful as white people. Jefferson 's death caused many people to notice how he shattered the myth that white people are better than black people. Jefferson’s death thought some people that blacks and whites are in fact equal or even better than white people. When Jefferson proves that he is not a hog, he had shown that white men are not superior to black men.
Grant wanted Jefferson to prove to himself that he is not a hog, he wanted Jefferson to see that white people are not …show more content…
I want you-yes, you-to call them liars. I want you to show them that you are as much as a man-More a man than they could ever be. That jury? You Call them men? That Judge? Is he a man?”(Gaines 190). Jefferson had thought of himself as a hog just because a white man said so and because of that he believed it. Grant thought that Jefferson is a man and he is not just a hog. Grant also taught him how white people are not superior to black people and how he should help “chip away at that myth”. Jefferson ultimately did this by thinking of himself as a man and going up to the chair as a man. Jefferson death did more than he could have done alive and showed everyone how white people are not superior to black people. Jefferson also understands that he should, in fact, try to stop the myth from being true and he did this by showing resistance to white hierarchy. “In Jefferson 's resistance to the white …show more content…
Jefferson showed that he was strong while dying, “He was the strongest man in that crowded room”(Gaines 253). When Jefferson was being executed, he showed the most courage even though he was the one being executed and he showed the world that he was not a hog, but was a man. He was confident that he did as much as he could during his life to help the black community. Jefferson also broke the myth that white people are better than black people. “Eventually he (Grant) becomes involved in Jefferson’s plight, and in the end, it will benefit both of them. He will teach Jefferson to live for a while and to die with dignity. Jefferson, in turn, will help Grant find himself.”(Writing A Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines) Jefferson showed how white people are not better than black people by not thinking of himself as a hog and because of this he helped shatter the myth of white people being superior to blacks. Jefferson also helped Grant notice what he could do and how he could actually help someone, which he thought he could not do before. Jefferson gives Grant