A Lesson Before Dying Essay

Grant did his best to teach Jefferson that he had worth and it paid off. “If I ain’t nothing but a hog, how come they just don’t knock me in the head like a hog? Strab me like a hog? More erasing, then: Man walk on two foots; hogs on four hoofs” (220). This quote demonstrates how Grant made a difference in Jefferson’s life and taught him to be a man of self worth.

At first, he neglected his godmother, who’s raised him since he was a child. Now he lets her embrace him (and embraces her back) for as long as she needs. Here, Jefferson’s actions resemble nothing so much as a sinner confessing his sins on his deathbed. (Ironically, this would make Grant, not Reverend Ambrose, the “priest.”) His final words to Grant show that Grant has succeeded as a teacher.

He may not have understood, but something was touched, something deep down in him--- because he was still crying. ”(Gaines, 193). Grant talked to Jefferson saying that he needs to be a hero for the people in their town, and his nanan, and everyone else and he had to be strong. This changed Jefferson's mindset about himself and his visits with Grant, he kept on trying to be better for the people in his life and he listened and talked to Grant more. In Jefferson’s final moments the text said, “ When Vincent asked him if he had any last words, he looked at the preacher and said, ‘Tell Nannan I walked.’

Through this path we can see, and almost feel the reflection of Grant’s perspective. This path begins with the frustration Grant feels when his students are reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Grant is a disillusioned product of the black church. He is insensitive and inconsiderate, as Vivian points out, he doesn’t consider the

I just didn’t know where else to turn to …” and she replies “ i  want you to come to me, Grant … i want you to always come to me” (31). Grant the man that everyone is counting on to make a change in Jefferson struggles and when he does he goes to Vivian. Vivian is a safe haven for Grant almost, she somehow finds a way to get Grant to open up and tell her things that he would not tell anyone else. Vivian is also a good motivator to Grant to actually do something with his life. After expressing his hesitation to visit Jefferson she uses his love for her to push him to make the visits.

However, powerless against his aunt’s persistence and his lover’s encouragement, he agrees to go to the jail and speak to Jefferson. At the beginning of Grant’s visits, Jefferson resents and jeers at Grant and his other visitors by mimicking a hog. Grant remained distant and pessimistic about his task, as not to become too involved in case he did not succeed in making Jefferson a proud man before he is killed. However, as Grant continues to go,

In the novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J Gaines, Grant is a main character that has a lot of influence over the people in his community. Some might even consider him a hero. I believe that Grant is a hero because he helps Jefferson become a man, changes himself for the better, and wants to continue changing the community. Over the course of the novel, Grant helps Jefferson become the man that he needs to be in order to walk to his death with honor. When Grant first begrudgingly went to visit Jefferson in prison Jefferson was in a really low state.

Grant does have any

When Jefferson was at trial his lawyers' defense was that Jefferson was a mindless hog with no capability of even thinking of committing a crime of that nature. Jefferson took those words to heart and when he was first sentenced and put in jail Jefferson was intent on making the people who visited feel bad for him, he wanted them to feel guilty. He would lash out and say cruel things or he would be passive and act like he doesn't care, making it difficult for Grant to achieve his goal of helping Jefferson. As time went on and the reality of Jefferson's situation set in, Grant had the opportunity to understand Jefferson more and eventually help him out of the mindset his situation put him in. When Jefferson is writing in his journal to Grant he says, “when they brot me in the room an i seen nannan at the table i seen how ole she look an how tied she look an i tol i love her an i tol her

One can that in the beginning of his time writing in the diary, he does not truly want to write. This is revealed when he writes, “mr wigin you say rite somethin but i dont kno what to rite an you say i must be thinkin bout things i aint telin nobody an i order put it on paper” (Gaines 186). At the beginning of Jefferson’s diary, we can see that he is reluctant to write and that he is not comfortable talking about topics that make him vulnerable. This illustrates to the reader that Grant has indeed made a breakthrough with Jefferson in persuading him to write in his diary, but that Jefferson has not yet become a man because he is not yet brave enough to be vulnerable in his diary.

This is shown throughout the novel by showing that in the beginning of the novel, Grant wants nothing to do with Jefferson and his situation. As the book continues, he realizes that Jefferson is a human too and that he needs to realize how good he has it compared to some people. In the beginning of A Lesson Before Dying, Grant Wiggins struggles with accepting his responsibilities. This is shown in multiple examples. The two examples used in this paper were when Grant avoids all of his responsibilities and does not want anything to do with Jefferson.

After Jefferson’s execution, a white deputy from the jail, Paul, travels to where the majority of the black population of Bayonne live to inform Grant of what happened and pass along the journal Grant had provided to Jefferson. Paul spends time with Grant, mostly pondering what has happened, but also asks Grant if he will allow him to be friends with him (Gaines Page 255). This example shows how Jefferson was a champion of change because through his writing in the journal and him wanting to do right by his godmother and him trusting the

The main conflict of the story is Grant convincing Jefferson that he is truly a man and that there is hope in the world. After Jefferson’s sentence is set, Jefferson doesn’t have hope for the world and thinks that he going to die anyways, so why care. Grant is teaching him that he can help others and that there is hope in the world and in the future. So, Grant is using character motivation to help Jefferson throughout the entire novel. The other literary term, diction, is repetition of a word to show its importance.

Undoubtedly, Grant registers the unfairness and lack of justice. Even though this is the case, Grant still continues to help Jefferson become the man he

In the novel A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest J. Gaines Grant finds redemption by helping Jefferson, Standing up for what he believes in and changing his view on life. Grant achieves redemption by helping Jefferson become a man before he dies by helping Jefferson become a man before he dies by asking questions about his wellbeing and overall health. When Grant goes and visits