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= A_Lesson_Before_Dying =
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Introduction
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'A Lesson Before Dying' is Ernest J. Gaines' eighth novel, published
in 1993; it won the National Book Critics Circle Award. The novel is
based on the true story of Willie Francis, a young Black American man
best known for surviving a failed electrocution in the state of
Louisiana, in 1946.
Part 1
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Set in Louisiana, this novel is set in the late 1940s backdrop, of a
small Cajun community during the Jim Crow Era. Jefferson, a young
black man, is accused and convicted of a murder for perpetrating a
shoot-out in a liquor store which left three men killed. Being the
sole survivor of a crime that occurred unwittingly, Jefferson is
sentenced to death. The story unfolds his search for justice as within
his trial, Jefferson's attorney explains to the jury "What justice
would there be to take his life? Justice, gentlemen? Why, I would as
soon put a hog in the electric chair as this." Jefferson's godmother,
Miss Emma Glenn, and Tante (Aunt) Lou, the aunt of local school
teacher Grant Wiggins, ask Lou's nephew Wiggins to turn Jefferson from
a "hog" to a "man." Grant is, at first, unsure of helping Jefferson,
believing he would not be much help. Grant eventually agrees to teach
Jefferson as his love for his family and their feelings is more
important to him than his own beliefs on the situation. However, in
order to accomplish this they must first get permission from Sheriff
Sam Guidry. They successfully ask Sheriff Guidry's brother-in-law
Henri Pichot, whose family Miss Emma served for years, for assistance.
Wiggins, who left his hometown for tertiary education, has returned
from university to teach locally. Whilst Wiggins takes the job in
contemplation of whether to maintain his position or to completely
move away from the place of his childhood, both Jefferson's godmother
and his aunt successfully persuade him to go on a prison-visit and
impart wisdom to Jefferson before his death.
Part 2
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Over the course of the novel, Grant and Jefferson unexpectedly form a
close friendship as the two men both come to comprehend the importance
of resistance and defying conformity. As they understand compassion,
human struggles and existential revelations through their newfound
brotherhood, Grant also forms a bond with the white Deputy Paul Bonin.
In early February, it is announced that Jefferson will be executed
soon, on April 8. Around then, Reverend Ambrose becomes concerned that
Grant, an agnostic, is not teaching Jefferson about God and thus
begins to visit him regularly to reverse Grant's spiritual
impairments. The conflict reaches a head when Grant buys Jefferson a
radio, which the seniors in the black community, or "quarter," see as
sinful. Before Jefferson’s execution, Grant brings him a notebook to
help and find his identity. This notebook is also used as a way for
Jefferson to process his thoughts surrounding his prison sentence and
impending execution. The novel ends with the anticlimax of Jefferson's
death by execution. Grant did not attend the execution, worried he
could not control his emotions witnessing his dear friend’s death.
Much to Grant's surprise, a visit from Paul in which he tells Grant
that "Jefferson was the strongest man in that crowded room.”
Characters
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Grant Wiggins
The narrator of the novel is an African American school teacher whose
main task is to teach Jefferson how to die “like a man.” Grant is a
very educated man who struggles with finding purpose, transforms with
Jefferson throughout the novel.
Jefferson
An African American man who at the start of the novel goes to trial
for a crime he did not commit. Jefferson, who is called “a pig”
in court, got sentenced to the death penalty. Jefferson, with the help
of Grant and his concern for his family, learns to die “like a man.”
Miss Emma
Jefferson’s godmother, who asked Grant to teach Jefferson. Miss Emma
wants Jefferson to die “like a man” and believes Grant can teach him
how.
Tante Lou
Grant’s aunt and also the person who raised him. She is very religious
and cares deeply for her family.
Vivian
Grant’s girlfriend, who works as a teacher as well, yet in a much
nicer school. Vivian has two children with her husband, their divorce
is pending. Grant and Vivian’s relationship is kept mostly hidden as
Vivian is worried her husband would take custody of their children if
he found out about Grant.
Reverend Ambrose
A preacher who visits Jefferson in jail, teaching him how to die with
faith. Grant and the Reverend do not always agree on faith or the way
Jefferson thinks of religion.
Education
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Education is a very important theme in 'A Lesson Before Dying'.
Education is shown through Grant and Vivian being school teachers.
Without the education Grant received, he would have never been asked
to help Jefferson. Therefore, Jefferson would not learn to die “like a
man” and Grant would never learn to live as one. The way education is
presented changes throughout the story. For example, at the start of
the novel, Grant is presented as a very strict instructor who does not
see hope in teaching the students as most will not make it out of
their hometown or end up like Jefferson. Grant, at the start of the
novel, also never wanted to teach Jefferson as he thought it is a
waste of time and energy as Jefferson was already on death row, that
nothing Grant could do would help. Throughout the book, Grant is
taught by Vivian that even if he could help just one student it would
be worth it. Grant also helps and instructs Jefferson who learns to
die “like a man.” Both men were able to teach one another about
morality, the importance of community, as well as their purpose.
Identity
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Identity is a major theme in the novel 'A Lesson Before Dying'.
Identity is the driving force of the novel. Identity is trying to be
discovered by the main two characters of the book, Grant and
Jefferson. Jefferson’s search for identity, prompted by Miss Emma, is
to find how to die “like a man.” The search for Jefferson’s identity
brought on the help of Grant. Throughout the book, Grant realized his
need to find his own identity and sense of purpose. Though Grant is
asked to help Jefferson find the meaning of his life, Grant also had
to discover what it meant to live as a man.
Importance of community
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Importance of community is shown throughout the novel. Community
rallies together in support of Jefferson and his family. One way the
importance of community is shown in the novel is through Grant
traveling around town collecting money to pay for a radio for
Jefferson . Additionally, the importance of community is shown through
Jefferson’s last visit from Grant where Grant brings his students. The
students bring Jefferson gifts, some give him hugs, and others kind
words. All of these examples show how the importance of community is
shown throughout the novel.
Social context
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The book provides perspective on the status of African Americans in
the South after World War II and before the Civil Rights Movement. It
shows the Jim Crow American South through the eyes of a formally
educated African-American teacher who often feels helpless and
alienated from his own country. In the novel, Grant is the only
educated black man in the area and the only member of the black
community who might be considered capable of becoming free of overt
oppression. The character feels his life and career choices are
severely limited due to racial prejudices, an example of this in the
novel being his instinct to refer to white male authority figures as
"Sir". In order to break away from his social conditions, Grant's
yearning to escape this situation heightens over time throughout the
story. Grant feels that he is cornered by myriad forces: his aunt's
incessant desires, pressures to conform to a fundamentalist religion
that he does not believe, the children's needs to fulfill his role as
a teacher, and the community's craving for proper leadership.
Setting
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This novel is set in a fictional town called Bayonne, located in the
rural south of Louisiana. Ernest Gaines uses his childhood home, town,
and surrounding areas as inspiration for the novel. Riverlake
Plantation, Ernest Gaines childhood home is how Gaines based parts of
the novel after. Located in the Jim Crow South, segregation and racism
is shown throughout the novel as it affects everyday life of those
living in this small town. Important areas in the novel would be the
schoolhouse that Grant teaches at which is also the church, the jail
where Jefferson resides, and the characters homes.
Title
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The title of this novel refers to Grant's attempts to teach Jefferson
a lesson. In order for Grant to be able to show Jefferson how to
'become a man,' he must understand the meaning himself before
imparting his learning to another person. In the novel, the butterfly
acts as a symbol towards the end as proof that both of these men have
succeeded in their goals to be spiritually transcended.
"…I watched it fly over the ditch and down into the quarter, I watched
it until I could not see it anymore. Yes, I told myself. It is
finally over."
At this point Grant realizes that Jefferson truly did learn a 'lesson
before dying.' When he says "It is finally over," he is not only
referring to Jefferson's life, but states it as a double entendre that
also acknowledges his cowardly nature before enlightenment is "finally
over." The character has fully taken a stand for what he believes in.
This insures that he, too, has benefited from this entire experience.
Jefferson's life is sacrificed in order for the white people in the
community to gain a better understanding of the value of the black
members in all societies.
Film, TV & theatrical adaptations
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On May 22, 1999 HBO premiered 'A Lesson Before Dying', which
subsequently received two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Television Movie
and Outstanding Writing for a Mini-Series or Movie (South African
screenwriter Ann Peacock) and a Peabody Award. Don Cheadle portrays
Grant, Mekhi Phifer portrays Jefferson, and Cicely Tyson is featured
as Tante Lou.
A play by Romulus Linney and a Southern Writers' Project, based on the
novel and having the same title, had its world premiere at the Alabama
Shakespeare Festival in January 2000 and Off-Broadway in September
2000. Rooted Theater Company (East New York, Brooklyn) staged a
production of 'A Lesson Before Dying' in June 2017.
Awards and nominations
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*1993 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction
*October 1997 choice of Oprah's Book Club
External links
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*[
https://web.archive.org/web/20070928045609/http://www.articlemyriad.com/147.htm
Article/essay on "Women and Community in 'A Lesson Before Dying']
*Ernest J. Gaines: 'A Lesson Before Dying,' Stuttgart 2008;
*[
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/lessonbefore/ 'A Lesson Before Dying']
at SparkNotes
*
*[
https://web.archive.org/web/20071121005443/http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215102/ernest_j_gaines.htm
Ernest J. Gaines : The biography of a famous black author],
Thinkquest.org
*[
http://aalbc.com/authors/ernest.htm Ernest Gaines], African American
Literature Book Club
*[
https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/great-depression-and-world-war-ii-1929-1945/race-relations-in-1930s-and-1940s/],
"Race Relations in the 1930s and 1940s", Library of Congress
License
=========
All content on Gopherpedia comes from Wikipedia, and is licensed under CC-BY-SA
License URL:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Original Article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Lesson_Before_Dying
