A Lesson Before Dying Analysis

In A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines, a man named Jefferson is found at a murder scene in which he was an innocent bystander. He is charged with all three deaths and given the death sentence. His attorneys defense was that he was too stupid to be able to kill anyone. This upsets his aunt, as she wants him to be thought of as human before his wrongful death. She enlists the help of teacher Grant Wiggins to ‘make him a man’ before he is executed. Grant meets with Jefferson frequently, and teaches him that he is not a worthless hog, that he is an intelligent individual. When it comes time for Jefferson’s execution, everyone is uncomfortable with the thought. Jefferson is executed, but a guard present at the execution says that he was the

As he gets closer towards his execution, he realizes that people sincerely care for him, and that they want him to know that he is a valuable person. An example of this is when Miss Emma visits Jefferson in the jail, and he pretends to be a hog. ‘“You ain’t no hog, you hear me? You ain’t no hog.” “That’s all I’m is,” he said. “Fattening up to-” She slapped him. Then she fell upon him and cried, my aunt told Miss Eloise.’ (pg. 122) Jefferson initally hurts Miss Emma because he is mad at everyone and doesn’t know how to direct his anger so he takes it out on anyone who visits him by calling himself a hog in an attempt to make them feel guilty. This is when Jefferson is still not realizing that people care about him and that he is not a worthless animal. As he meets with Grant more, he progressively becomes more accepting. Once his execution date is set, Grant asks him what his last meal would be. This is when Grant finally gets to converse with Jefferson and he is not pretending to be a hog. ‘“I want a whole gallon. Eat it with a pot spoon. Every bit of it- with a pot spoon.”’ (pg. 170) Jefferson talking about his last meal might seem sad, but he is so happy to finally have a whole gallon of ice cream to himself shows that he can be strong even if he is talking about his last meal. He is so passionate about this that it makes you realize how strong you have to be to be happy about your last meal, that Jefferson

This shows that it is possible to be successful even under terrible circumstances. “‘You’re one great teacher, Grant Wiggins,” he said. “I’m not a great teacher. I’m not even a teacher.” “Why do you say that?” “You have to believe to be a teacher.’” (pg. 254) Grant taught Jefferson only the things that Grant though was important. Jefferson’s last words show that he was strong, that he calmly walked his unjust death, which shows that you can become strongest in the worst of times. “‘And that’s all we are, Jefferson, all of us on this earth, a piece of drifting wood, until we-- each one of us, individually-- decide to become something else. I am still that piece of drifting wood, and those out there are no better. But you can be better... Do you understand what I’m saying to you, Jefferson? Do you?” He looked at me in great pain. He may not have understood, but something was touched, something deep down in him-- because he was still crying.’” Grant says that he is still a floating piece of wood, unsure where to go with his life. He is telling Jefferson that he can decide what to do with himself,-- either continue to act like a hog, or realize that people really do care for you-- that Jefferson can become something more than what he is. He can make people see how unjust his death is. This shows that even under the most dire of circumstances, a