A Lesson Before Dying Character Analysis

Ernest J. Gaines 1933 novel, A Lesson Before Dying, is African American fiction set in the town of Bayonne, Louisiana. In his novel, Gaines tells the story of an educated black teacher, Professor Grant Wiggins, who is sent to teach a wrongly convicted young man put on death row, Jefferson, how to “be a man” before his execution. Throughout the novel, the development of the relationship between Grant and Jefferson concludes in a positive correlation with the development of both individual characters.

When the relationship is first created, Grant and Jefferson both negatively influence the other. During his Grant’s first private visit with Jefferson, Jefferson goes beyond being merely unresponsive, and begins acting out, trying to upset Grant. He does things like “eat like a hog” in which he shoves his face into the basket of food prepared for him and tries to eat with no hands, or he describes how the prison is fattening him up to be slaughtered on Christmas. At this point in the

story, it seems Grant brings out the worst in Jefferson, and Jefferson’s behavior begins to bring out some of the worst in Grant.
Since the beginning of the novel, Grant is shown to be a bitter, cynical man, and recognizes the disgusting mistreatment by whites despite his education. Jefferson’s sentencing reaffirms his beliefs, and seeing Jefferson’s worst side nearly solidifies them. At this point in the novel, Grant is becoming continuously more bitter and full of hatred. This effects not only his relationships with Miss Emma, his aunt, and the reverend, but also his more intimate relationships. Grant states that “things had not been going well for me and Vivian in bed, and I knew it was because of Jefferson, my worrying about him” (Gaines, 196). This puts additional stress on his shoulders, and he does not seem to be fending well.
However, despite the initial effect of Grant and Jefferson’s relationship on the character’s development, the relationship does result in a positive outcome. When Grant offers Jefferson the gallon of vanilla ice cream and the radio, it serves as a sort of olive branch, and is the beginning of an uphill climb for both characters. Grant, when describing the effect of the radio, tells Reverend Ambrose, “Last Friday was the first time… Jefferson looked at me without hate” (Gaines, 182). This displays a major step in Jefferson’s character development, seeing as in every other encounter with Jefferson thus far, he has shown nothing but anger and cynicism. Shortly after giving him the radio, Grant also brings Jefferson a pencil and a notebook for him to write down his thoughts. When the reader sees what Jefferson has written, it is assured what was already known: that Jefferson is capable of deep, complicated thought, and he experiences emotions like love, and truly cares for Grant. The notebook gifts him back his humanity, and allows him to choose to walk to the execution chair as a man rather than a hog. Paul tells Grant afterwards that Jefferson “was the strongest man in that crowded room” (Gaines, 253). The choice for Jefferson to be a man as he walked to his death may not have been made had it not been for his relationship with Grant.
Grant also makes advances in his character development, although they are much more subtle.

He himself recognizes these changes, and on his last visit with Jefferson admits “My eyes were closed before this moment, Jefferson. My eyes have been closed all my life” (Gaines, 225). Grant is telling Jefferson that Jefferson is more of a man than Grant, which is a concept that Grant never would have entertained before he met Jefferson because he believed that an educated man such as himself was above uneducated black men. This change alters his trait of self-absorption, possibly displaying its removal all together. He also becomes less bitter toward white men. After the execution, Paul asks Grant to “allow [him] to be [his] friend” to which Grant accepts (Gaines, 255). This is the first time the reader is aware of that Grant has befriended a white man. Prior to his friendship with Jefferson, Grant was bitter, but because of Jefferson, he is now able to let go of some bitterness and accept

Paul.