A Lesson Before Dying - Ernest J. Gaines

A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
Genre: Classic Realistic Fiction

Blurb (on back of book): A Lesson Before Dying is set in a small Cajun community in the late 1940s. Jefferson, a young black man, is an unwitting party to a liquor store shoot out in which three men are killed; the only survivor, he is convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Grant Wiggins, who left his hometown for the university, has returned to the plantation school to teach. As he struggles with his decision whether to stay or escape to another state, his aunt and Jefferson's godmother persuade him to visit Jefferson in his cell and impart his learning and his pride to Jefferson before his death. In the end, the two men forge a bond as they both come to understand the simple heroism of resisting and defying the expected. Ernest J. Gaines brings to this novel the same rich sense of place, the same deep understanding of the human psyche, and the same compassion for a people and their struggle that have informed his previous, highly praised works of fiction.

MY OPINION: ****

I read this book for sophomore English class but found it a lot more provocative and interesting than I initially thought it was going to be. The book focuses on themes including racism, dehumanization, and discrimination. When I first read the summary, I didn't know what to expect from it. The book ended up being emotional and powerful and exceeded my expectations.

The novel is set in the late 1940s, just after the establishment of the Jim Crow laws. Jefferson is an African-American man who is stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time and is unjustly indicted by the white jury at his trial. He is sentenced to death for the murder of three white men, despite the fact that he is innocent.

The book immediately begins with the defense attorney dehumanizing Jefferson. It depicts the cruelty of people at this time, showing how even the man who is supposed to be "supporting" Jefferson discriminates against him. By calling him a "hog" and an "animal" and a "thing", he objectifies and creates a cruel image of Jefferson to the jury. This theme is prevalent throughout the rest of the book.

Grant Wiggins is the only educated African-American man in Bayonne. He is a teacher and Jefferson was one of his past students. Jefferson's godmother, Miss Emma, persuades Grant with the help of his Tante Lou to try and change Jefferson before he dies. Jefferson sees himself as nothing more than a "hog" and Miss Emma's greatest hope and desire is that he will change that idea of himself before he dies.

Grant is more than reluctant to do the job, telling his girlfriend, Vivian, that it is a burden and a pointless task. However, by the end of the book, he realizes that even if he doesn't think he made a difference, he changed Jefferson's life for the better.

My favorite thing about the book was the overarching character arcs. Every single character was changed by the end, even though they didn't explicitly show it. Grant realizes that his role in Jefferson's life isn't useless, despite his stubborn belief that he is not a "hero". Jefferson starts off being more than reluctant to say anything to Grant or Miss Emma but by the end, he writes about his feelings and tells Grant everything that he feels. I loved the idea that even though this book is set over a short amount of time in a place where discrimination and belittling is prevalent, the characters's lives change for the better.

Grant and Vivian's relationship was not my favorite part of the book. She has a husband and they are not yet divorced. She and Grant are having an affair and she is pregnant with his child. I wish we had gotten more of a conclusion to their story. I never found out what happened with Vivian and her old husband and her new child. I would have liked to know more about her, but I also know that she is not the most important character in the book, despite her integral role in Grant's actions and decisions.

I hated Reverend Ambrose. I understand that God is the only thing he knows but it is not okay to force your religion on everybody else if they are non-believers.

The ending of this book is more than sad. The book isn't pointless but the ending makes it all the more depressing and powerful. I would recommend this book to readers looking for an emotional, powerful, incredible read.

Main Character: Jefferson, Grant
Sidekick(s): Miss Emma, Tante Lou, students, Vivian, etc
Villain(s): Death, racism, prejudice, etc
Classic Realistic Fiction: This book was (sadly) all real to life.