What Are The Themes In A Lesson Before Dying

In A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines I believe Grant Wiggins controlled his future. In the story Grant has an inner struggle with himself and the world around him while trying to help Jefferson, field worker, become a man. Jefferson has been branded a hog and has been sentenced to death after being charged with murder by an all white jury. Miss Emma, Jefferson’s godmother, and Tante Lou, Grant’s aunt, want Grant to help make Jefferson a man so he can die with dignity. He is helped by Vivian, Grants girlfriend, and Reverend Ambrose to make Jefferson a man. I believe Grant controlled most of his life in the story. He chooses to quit his job and become a teacher, he chooses between leaving or staying in Bayonne Louisiana, and he decides

He is unsure because he wants to stop teaching but he doesn’t want to leave Vivian behind. Grant feels as if all the teaching that he is doing is a waste of time because he thinks the kids will not use this knowledge and will do nothing but work in the fields and continued to be oppressed by the world around them. Grant feels as if his old teacher Mr. Antoine was right about teaching and grows to hate teaching. Grant becomes very alike to Mr. Antoine, bitter and selfish. He also wants to leave to get away from the racism in the south. When Grant has to go to Henri Pichot’s house to talk to him he goes through the back door to get inside. When Grant is talking to Henri Pichot, Pichot stares at Grant until he addresses him as “sir” as if Pichot is above Grant even if Grant is smarter than him. Grant hates the way he is treated by whites in story because it makes him feel as if studying and becoming a teacher was a waste of time if he is still not treated with respect even if he is smarter than those people. In the novel Grant says this to Vivian, “I wish I could just run away from this place” (Gaines 94). Grant wants to leave but deep down he still loves Bayonne. Grant changes throughout the story and he starts to care more about his community, so he decides to stay in Bayonne. He also stays in Bayonne because of Vivian. Even though Grant feels as if he is not getting the respect he deserves and is

Grant thought it was a waste of time to try helping him because Jefferson was going to be executed and Jefferson was very stubborn and unwilling to cooperate. The only reason Geant was helping was because his aunt Tante Lou made him help Miss Emma make Jefferson into a man since Jefferson was called a hog by his defence attorney and Miss Emma wanted Jefferson to die a man. Jefferson feels as if he is not in control of his life. . Grant and Jefferson 's relationship evolves over time. At first Jefferson doesn’t speak to anyone while he has visitors, not even Miss Emma. Jefferson lets the words of his attorney consume and he believes he is a hog, he says these to Grant, “Hogs don’t worry. Hogs just know,” (Gaines 140). Grant tries talking to Jefferson throughout the story but he refuses to have a meaningful conversation with him. After a while Jefferson begins to realize that he doesn’t have much time left and decides to listen to what Grant has to say. Grant gets Jefferson to eat with Miss Emma and talk to her and gets him to write down his feelings on a notebook. Jefferson befriends Grant and they grow to care for one another. Grant sees that Jefferson starts to change and become a man. Jefferson becomes a man before he dies and has these last words for Grant and his community, “Good by Mr.Wigin tell