A Lesson Before Dying Oppression Essay

Children are often told that the sky is the limit when it comes to their potential. Despite this message of boundless opportunity, their hopes and dreams are constrained by societal expectations, limiting them to what others believe they are capable of achieving. For instance, a child that grows up in a wealthy suburban neighborhood is more likely to believe that they can achieve a lot compared to a child that grows up in the hood because of what they see their role models doing growing up. This suggests that an endless cycle goes on through many generations in society. The cycle of oppression is one of the central themes in the novel "A Lesson Before Dying" by Ernest J. Gaines. In this novel, the endless cycle refers to the repetition of oppression

The education system, which was created by white people, perpetuates a cycle of marginalization for black children, similar to that of their ancestors. This cycle is used as a means for white people to inflict historical pain and suffering on black people by reinforcing the myth that black people are incapable of intellectual excellence.

In Ernest J. Gaines' novel "A Lesson Before Dying", the pervasive societal pressure for black individuals to conform to the limiting and oppressive expectations of white society is a central theme explored through the struggles of the novel's characters. In chapter 7 of this book, a white superintendent inspects the black school where Grant, the main character, teaches. The superintendent not only talks to the children like slaves, but also tells them that hard work and labor is good for their bodies, suggesting that yet another generation of black people continue slavery, even though slavery “ended” in the 1860s. Black people conform to this ideology. In chapter 24, Grant says "I could never be a hero. I teach, but I don't like to teach. I teach because it's the only thing

In Ernest J. Gaines' novel "A Lesson Before Dying," Grant's students had limited resources for learning, with their classroom being a church and their chairs serving as tables. Adding to the injustice, the government and superintendent visited black schools only once a year, while white schools received multiple visits per semester, as shown in chapter 2 when Gaines wrote, "Dr. Joseph visited the colored schools once a year, the white schools probably once or twice each semester." Moreover, children of color were permitted to attend school only for a few months each year, as they were expected to help their families on the plantations during harvest season. Shockingly, even these children's families didn't advocate for their education, as they believed that their true purpose was to continue the activities of their slave