A Lesson Before Dying Essay

A Lesson Before Dying
In the book A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, the character Grant Wiggins undergoes a significant change throughout the story. At the novel's beginning, Grant is a school teacher frustrated by his inability to make a real difference in the lives of his students. The lack of change he can cause, causes him to see no purpose in his work and life. However, at the end of the book, by teaching Jefferson his worth, Grant also discovers his purpose in life and his ability to affect change in his community. This reveals the theme that when a person with no purpose opens himself to empathy and service as a result of human connection, he discovers a sense of purpose and can affect change in others.
Grant has no purpose

As the older boys sawed and chopped the wood, they laughed and kidded each other while they worked. Grant, watching them work, thought to himself, "What am I doing? Am I reaching them at all? They are acting exactly as the old men did earlier. They are fifty years younger, maybe more, but doing the same things as those old men who never attended school a day in their lives. Is it just a vicious circle? Am I doing anything?" (62). Grant questions his progress in teaching his students, as their behavior has not changed despite his efforts. The phrase "vicious circle" highlights the cyclical nature of the problem Grant faces. Grant compares the actions of the older men who have never been to school to his students. The quarter's lack of education and opportunities turn into a cycle of poverty. A cycle that Grant himself could not break; for an African American with a college degree, he is still teaching at a run-down black school. He feels that the school system and himself have failed these students. If he could not even teach his students, then what purpose does he serve the community? Another example of Grant feeling he has no

Despite Grant believing that helping Jefferson was a waste of time, Grant slowly bonds with Jefferson and starts finding his purpose as a teacher and a person. An example of that is when Grant buys a radio for Jefferson. The radio brought Jefferson a sense of connection to other human beings; however, when Aunt Lou and Reverend Ambrose went to visit him, he ignored them. Causing Aunt Lou and Reverend Ambrose to be angry at Grant. Reverend Ambrose argued with Grant, saying that Jefferson did not need the radio; he needed God and was wasting his time. Grant responded, "Last Friday was the first time… that Jefferson looked at me without hate, without accusing me of putting him in that cell…But I found a way to reach him for the first time." (182). Grant found his purpose as a teacher through his work with Jefferson. The phrase "I found a way to reach him" shows Grant's dedication to his work by connecting with Jefferson and understanding his perspective. Grant realized the potential in Jefferson and himself. This discovery of being able to transform the people around him and himself drove him to become more engaged and empathetic in helping Jefferson. Afterward, when Grant visits Jefferson after giving him the radio, he tries to talk to him. He asks Jefferson if he would meet with Miss Emma and Reverend Ambrose, and Jefferson agrees. However, when the conversation comes to a stop, Grant finally says,