Ernest Gaines' "A Lesson before Dying"

Paper Summary:

This paper summarizes and analyzes Ernest J. Gaines' novel about a black man unjustly sentenced to death because the legal system of the Jim Crow South is so prejudiced the white jurors selected to judge him cannot see the truth. The paper relates that the story begins in a world where there has been a profound breakdown of all communication systems but by the end of the novel the two main protagonists are able to communicate by finding common ground and points of connection and, as a result, have changed within. The paper concludes that, although society has not changed by the end of the novel and the transformation experienced by the main characters is not enough to heal the world, the message of the story is still positive and inspiring enough for the reader to keep in his or her mind, long after closing the book.

From the Paper:

"Even though Grant does not consider himself a believer, culturally the two men also share a common childhood education in religion, which they have begun to doubt or reject. Jefferson has to ask Grant if Christmas marks the birth of Jesus, during one of their first conversations. At the beginning of the novel, Grant rejects Christianity as a white invention. But by the end of the novel, he asks his students to pray on the day when Jefferson is scheduled to die. The unjust death of Jesus becomes a metaphor for both men, of the wrongful death of Jefferson and the suffering of all black men and women. Grant becomes impressed by the strong faith of the religious people of the nation, such as the Reverend Ambrose. He gradually becomes impressed by how the black men and women of his community are able to keep their faith, even when they live in a world of injustice. Christmas is a palpable presence in the novel, as Grant feels loneliest during Christmas. Jefferson dies around Easter-time. The Christian calendar underlines the similarities between the two men, and their common, eventually shared faith. Over the course of the novel, the men discover as they have more and more in common, even in small aspects of their lives and childhood. The two men used to listen to the same radio program as children, and Grant gives Jefferson a radio to connect him to positive memories, and to a sense of his culture outside of the prison. He brings gifts from his students, and also a pencil and paper, to give Jefferson the dignity of being able to express his innermost feelings. Jefferson feels like a beast, but self-expression brings back his sense of humanity. Words and writing have always been very important to Grant, and the come to be equally important to Jefferson."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Gaines. Ernest J. A Lesson Before Dying. New York: Vintage, 1997.

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