Analysis Of Ernest Gaines A Lesson Before Dying

Did you know that Ernest Gaines comes from a plantation in southern Louisiana? “He was part of a rural, black bilingual oral culture” (Laney 1974:3). People would tell stories in the camp fire at night and that is how he became a storyteller. A good book entertains the reader. An excellent book enlightens and entertains the reader. Gaines does not just provide information to the reader, he entertains them with effective story telling. Gaines is very effective as a story teller because he entertains the readers through the use of stylistic elements such as sentence structure, figurative language, and diction. Gaines uses stylistic elements to show dramatical effects, the quality of the writing, and to persuade and influence the audience. Gaines

It shows repetition, different types of sentences, such as interrogative and declarative and many more. All sentences are practically the same size, around two lines or less each, but they differ at times. “Do you see a modicum of intelligence?” (Gaines 7). This quote is not only a interrogative question that is said when Jefferson is having his trial, but also shows the strong type of words Gaines uses. Gaines also shows a lot of repetition of words throughout the novel in the same sentence. “Do you see anyone here who could plan a murder, a robbery, can plan- can plan- can plan anything?” (Gaines 7). Gaines used the word “plan” four times in one sentence to emphasize the word plan, and to plan, you need thinking and Jefferson is not that intelligent to

Diction is used with reference to show standards on proper writing and also show quality of the writing. It is also the selection of words to make it more difficult for readers. “It’s rustic, all right. Probably the most rustic place you will ever visit” (Gaines 104). This shows that Gaines uses high quality words to make it more peculiar. It occurs when Vivian walks into Grant’s room and says it is very countryside and that she had never seen a room like that.. Another classy word he uses is vexing. “Just keep vexing me” (Gaines 129). Jefferson is being sarcastic to Grant when Grant came to visit him in his cell. Grant was talking that Grant needed to talk to Reverend Ambrose, and to his nannan because she needed that, it would be very important to Miss Emma. And also to eat his nannan's food. And that really bugged