Racism In Ernest Gaines A Lesson Before Dying

The theme of racism plays a significant role throughout Gaines’ story, as we see Jefferson falsely accused of murder and consequently sentenced to death, and Mr. Wiggins repeatedly belittled and abused all as a result of racism. At the beginning of the novel, it is the racism of an all white, all male jury that results in Jefferson being sentenced to death. I think it would be impossible for an all white jury to be unbiased when judging the actions of Jefferson because these white men have never lived as a black man and therefore, would not be able to relate to how Jefferson viewed the situation he found himself in when Mr. Gropé was shot. Jefferson’s trial was unfair and by today’s standards unconstitutional because the jury was not impartial and ought to have included a mix of races and genders. This theme of racism continues through the novel as Grant is disrespected and humiliated by several of the

white men in the town, as seen when Grant says “I had come through that back door against my will, and it seemed that [Guidry] and the sheriff were doing everything they could to humiliate me even more by making me wait on them” (46). Racism is a very important theme in the novel because it is the racism that places both Jefferson and Grant in the situations they are in and it is the racism that both men are fighting against.
The theme of education is also very important in Gaines’ novel.

In the court room, the lawyer tries to use Jefferson’s lack of education as part of his defense as he asks the jury “Gentlemen…look at him…Do you see a man sitting here...Do you see a modicum of intelligence? Do you see anyone…who could plan a murder, a robbery…anything? (7). Jefferson’s Godmother calls upon Mr. Wiggins to help teach Jefferson as she sees education as the way to raise Jefferson up from being considered nothing more than an animal. Mr. Wiggins also sees education as a way to rise above the inferior position blacks in his community are forced into, as evidenced when he tells his young students how he is to teach Jefferson and “…make him a man. Exactly what I’m trying to do here with you now: to make you responsible young men and young ladies” (39). Grant even feels educated white people are better than the uneducated as can be seen when Grant speaks of the deputy named Paul “he was the most likely to be honest with me…he seemed better educated than the chief deputy or the

sheriff”(125).