Character Analysis: A Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines

“tell them im strong tell them im a man good by mr wigin.”(Gaines, 234). In A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest J. Gaines, Jefferson was wrongly convicted of being a murderer and robbing a store and was sentenced to death. Jefferson's meaningful relationships with Grant and other characters help him to realize he is human and help him become one again. Grants meaningful relationships with Jefferson and others help him improve his mental state and change how he thinks. In A Lesson Before Dying, the theme Meaningful relationships help to develop one's character because it can create a bond between characters that can help them realize and improve their characteristics is developed through character interaction. Grant's interactions and relationships

While talking to Miss Emma and Tante Lou, Grant says, “He’s dead now. And I can’t raise the dead. All I can do is try to keep the others from ending up like this…”(Gaines, 14). Grand did not want to help Jefferson out in his moment of need where he believed he was not a human being but a hog. He also didn’t want to teach in general as he did not like his job and position in the society he was in. However something happened to Grant and it made him emotional and passionate enough to act. The test states, “ They knew I was looking at them,...Then the tall one said something, and the fat one snickered, and I thought I had heard enough…’Shut up’(Gaines, 199). Grant overhears two men talking about Jefferson and how he should have died sooner and how it was making it hard on everyone that he was alive and Grant got mad. Grant went over and started a fight with them over them talking about Jefferson. He felt angry towards them because he

While Jefferson was talking to Grant in a visit Jefferson said, “ ‘I'm a old hog,’...’Just a old hog they fattening up to kill for Christmas’”.(Gaines, 83). Jefferson was left mentally disturbed after the court trial because he was called a hog and he truly felt like one for the first couple of visits from Grant. And he was eventually eased out of this state however because of his relationship with Grant. After Grant talks to Jefferson the text says, “He looked at me in great pain. He may not have understood, but something was touched, something deep down in him--- because he was still crying.”(Gaines, 193). Grant talked to Jefferson saying that he needs to be a hero for the people in their town, and his nanan, and everyone else and he had to be strong. This changed Jefferson's mindset about himself and his visits with Grant, he kept on trying to be better for the people in his life and he listened and talked to Grant more. In Jefferson’s final moments the text said, “ When Vincent asked him if he had any last words, he looked at the preacher and said, ‘Tell Nannan I walked.’ And straight he walked,...”(Gaines, 254). This was told to Grant by Paul, a friend or good acquaintance that he made while he was visiting Jefferson; he came to Grant to deliver the news. But Grant knew that Jefferson learnt something