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How Does Grant Wiggins Show Heroism

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"A hero is someone who does something for others. He does something that other men don’t and cant to. He is different from other men. He is above other men. No matter who those other men are, the hero, no matter who he is, is above them." Our actions and reactions in challenging situations reveal our character, and sometimes, we get the opportunity to display heroism. Grant Wiggins' own interpretation of heroism suggests that he himself became a hero. Grant's journey to becoming a hero involves several key components, including obtaining an education and pursuing a career as a teacher, undergoing significant psychological growth and transformation, and offering guidance and support to Jefferson in his pursuit of a dignified death.

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Despite the fact that Jefferson has been wrongfully accused of murder and sentenced to death, Grant helps him to see that he is still a human being with dignity and worth. One way in which Grant helps Jefferson find his dignity is by teaching him to take pride in his appearance. When Grant first meets Jefferson in prison, he notices that Jefferson is wearing tattered clothes and has not bothered to shave. Grant tells Jefferson, "You're a man…you have to be clean…You have to be neat." This illustrates that Grant sees Jefferson as more than just a condemned man. He wants Jefferson to see himself as a person with value and worth, not a "hog." Grant's attempt to change Jefferson's perception of himself demonstrates how he is the hero of this novel. Furthermore, Grant encourages Jefferson to think about his legacy and the impact he will have on those around him. As Grant says, "What you leave behind is how the world will judge you." This indicates Grant's desire for Jefferson to understand that, while he may not have control over his fate, he does have power over how he is remembered. He encourages him to do it, especially for his godmother, Miss Emma, and the other members of their community. He urges him to consider his legacy and reminds him of his ancestors' resilience and endurance. In conclusion, Grant Wiggins embodies heroism in "A Lesson Before Dying" by counseling Jefferson to die with dignity. Through his encouragement, his guidance, and his belief in Jefferson's worth, Grant helps Jefferson see himself as a person with value and dignity, even in the face of

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Grant did his best to teach Jefferson that he had worth and it paid off. “If I ain’t nothing but a hog, how come they just don’t knock me in the head like a hog? Strab me like a hog? More erasing, then: Man walk on two foots; hogs on four hoofs” (220). This quote demonstrates how Grant made a difference in Jefferson’s life and taught him to be a man of self worth.

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This will make him a hero, and therefore a man, because it will show the world that people of different races are equal. This helps to show the importance of dignity in that it illustrates that Jefferson, dehumanized to the level of a hog by his attorney, can gain enough dignity to be seen as a man. This evidence illustrates that Jefferson’s act of brave defiance in the face of death was in part due to the fact that Grant introduced the concept of heroism to him. Another quote that supports the fact that the actions of Grant played a role in the transformation of Jefferson from a hog

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The historical fiction novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, features a falsely accused black man on death row in a small Cajun community during the late 1440s. Grant Wiggins, a college educated teacher of the black community, visits Jefferson in prison, an African American convicted of murder. During his trial, he was given a death sentence while referred as a hog. With the love of his godmother, Miss Emma, who sends Grant to teach him in proving himself a man, Jefferson receives the opportunity of representing his community as he dies. Tante Lou, a close friend of Miss Emma and Grant’s aunt, provides the assurance that Grant would prove Jefferson worthy a human.

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Grant has gone to a University and is now a teacher in the quarter where he grew up. To his community, Grant is the most educated person in the quarter and is constantly being admired by them. Most of the admiration comes from Miss Emma in hopes that Grant can transform Jefferson into a man before he is executed. Miss Emma states, “I want the teacher visit my boy. I want the teacher make him know he’s not a hog, he’s a man” (pg.

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(pg.58/line 674-676) A hero is selfless and puts other people lives before themselves. Anybody can be a hero as long as you have the qualities of one. Heroes doesn’t necessary have to have on suits, masks, or superpowers.

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