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The Theme Of Change In Thomas Gaines A Lesson Before Dying

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Thomas Gaines’ A Lesson Before Dying tells the pre-Civil Rights era story of a young black man named Jefferson. Jefferson sees himself as an inferior animal to the whites and not as a human. Over the course of the novel, however, he gains the strength to see himself as a man and prove that he is one. In this way, Jefferson is a champion of change. A champion of change is a leading activist in enacting change. A champion of change has many qualities that make them a strong activist individual. First, a champion of change must recognize an issue in their community that needs to be changed. Next, they must understand why it’s so imperative that they use their actions to change it. Then, they must effectively enact the change, finally leading them …show more content…

“‘He was the strongest man there… And straight he walked Grant Wiggins. Straight he walked.’” (Gaines 254). Jefferson walking straight to the execution chair proves how he meets the criteria of effectively enacting change because he changed the minds of the white people in the room. Jefferson walked straight to his death in front of many white authorities and showed no signs of weaknesses. The attendees saw Jefferson as an inferior animal who would have to crawl to the chair, however since walking, Jefferson was able to prove how much of a man he was. This created change because he changed the mindsets that he was weaker because of his race. When Jefferson was walking to his death, his last words were, “‘Tell Nannan I walked.’” (Gaines 254). This proves how Jefferson meets the final quality of a champion of change because he recognized his activism and the effects it would have on people. Jefferson recognized his activism through asking the people to tell his Nannan he walked because he knew it was a serious matter to her. He knew that his Nannan wanted him to walk in order to prove he was as much of a man as anyone else in the room, and by asking the room to tell her, he acknowledged that him walking was proving his manhood to everyone. Jefferson met the qualities of effectively enacting change and recognizing his activism by showing his strength when he walked to his death in front of many white people and asking them to share his story. Jefferson is a champion of enacting change and recognizing what he’s

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