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Lesson Before Dying Ernest Jefferson Character Analysis

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Imagine knowing that in just one month you will sit in the last chair that you will ever sit in. Would you be able to walk up to the death chair? For you, this is a nightmare, but for Jefferson in Ernest J. Gains novel, Lesson Before Dying, this is a living reality in where he knows when he knows will die. Jefferson is very strong and was able to become thankful, become more selfless, and accept death.

When Ernest J. Gains introduces jefferson, we know that Grant, a teacher, is in charge to change his perspective and help him improve in every way possible. One way that jefferson does improve is becoming selfless. In the beginning of the novel Jefferson selfish and full of himself. ‘’Jefferson still lay on his bunk, staring up at the ceiling. …show more content…

‘ I’m go’n wait,’ he said. He smiled. He smiled now because he had something pleasant to look forward to,”(Gains,170). Jefferson’s smiling shows a huge improvement from a silent inmate, so he became selfless and started to make friends.

In the beginning jefferson is very selfish and quite. WHen he is given the radio he doesn't really say thank you so he is not thankful. But as time passes and Grant visits him more he improves and starts to take value of things. One day when grant went to visit jefferson he brought some pecans that he had gathered from the children in his class. When he was going to leave jefferson told grant to thank the kids. “tell-tell the chirren thank you for the pe-pecans,” (Gains, 186). Even though Jefferson stutters and struggles to get the words out he had the courage to thank the children for the pecans.

Once Jefferson was sentenced to death he just lost hope in everyone and became a horrible person who would either trash talk or just not talk. He did this because he thought being sentenced to death meant no one loved him. ‘How you feel, Jefferson?’... he didn’t answer, and kept his eyes on the ceiling,”(Gains,21). He really didnt care because he had one month to live so he didnt want to socialize. After the month of talking to grant he became a man and accepted the fact that he was going to die. He did it with so much bravery that he walked to the chair when others would stumble and not

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