“A Lesson Before Dying”, is a novel of two main characters that both learn lessons as they interact with each other, and as the novel progresses. It provides the reader with a story of insight mainly of what Grant was thinking, and you would see how he was changing throughout the story. The novel provided lessons of what both characters learned of love, dignity, and worthiness.
Grant and Jefferson both learned lessons about life itself as the novel progressed, and as they both kept on communicating with each other. Grant learned the most out of both of them, he learned most about life itself, and how he was viewing situations. His thoughts on the world changed some, and he realized how he was blind in a way from how he should really be viewing life. Grant had a very negative outlook towards his life, for he kept on realizing how things were the same and how they were never changing.
They were the same events every year, and Vivian kept saying how things were changing but they didn’t seem like they were to him. “Next year it would be the same, and the year after that, the same thing. Vivian said things were changing. But where were they changing.” Page 151 Grant. As Grant continued to go talk to Jefferson, and the novel moved along, he wasn’t the same person that he was at the end of the novel. When Jefferson died Grant realized that Jefferson really did learn a lesson before dying, and that he himself also learned some things. He learned that he stood up for what he believed in, and that was teaching Jefferson that he wasn’t some animal that others called him as. He learned so much
127 our experts are availableright now
more about life itself, and his mindset on how he was perceiving situations. Most importantly Grant learned that he needed to stand for the black community, and support the people that they are. Jefferson on the other hand, he was mentally abused. His self esteem went drastically low when they were calling him a hog, and this is the reason why he kept on referring himself as a hog.
Jeffersons mindset was very negative towards life, mainly because he knew that he didn’t have much longer to live. Including the fact that he was getting executed for the color of his skin. With the thought of dying, and nothing he can do about it he simply just didn’t care about life anymore. Because he thought that there was no worth to his life anymore. Also, with this family trying to make him become more religious, and persuade him into thinking a certain way, it just made the situation even worse. With Grant though becoming more involved in his life, Jefferson really did get to talk with someone about some of the things he wanted before his time was up.
By the end Jefferson had changed into a person that was going to walk to that chair as a man, and stand up for the black community. Jefferson was about to do something the others could not, and that was stand up for the community, and prove to the white people that he was not some animal. That he was a man, that he would not get judged for the color of his skin, and that he would not let these people downgrade him just because of his color.
The main lesson that was learned by both Grant and Jefferson was dignity. They both learned that they have worth, and that they should show others how worthy they truly are. This is the main reason they wanted Jefferson to die as a man because everybody else was defying him as some kind of animal, and not a human being. Everybody should be seen as a human and be seen equally, and this is why Grant was going to visit Jefferson. For Jefferson to realize that he was as equal as everybody else no matter his skin color, his intelligence, his social class- he was still a human like everybody else.
At the end of the novel Jefferson and Grant met one last time, and Jefferson told Grant that he was going to walk to that chair like a man. This was a time of success for Grant because he fulfilled his obligation of getting Jefferson to realize that he was a man. Also, this taught Jefferson that he has to stand up for his community and show the others that he is more than what they see of him. Grant also learned about dignity because throughout the novel he was seen as teacher, but he was not well respected because of his skin tone. With Jefferson saying these words to him, he taught Grant a very important lesson.
And that was to stand up for their people, and to show that they have worth. This lesson of dignity is also very similar to an event that happened in the real world. During the time period of were segregation was still happening, Dr. Martin Luther King made very valid statements, and went on to have speeches. His goal also was to show that we are all equal and we are all worthy. This ties back to having dignity, showing your worth, and that you are not on a lower standard just because of a statement from others.
Dignity is to show that you have worth, and that you are worthy of respect. I can personally relate to this simply because even now in the presence you still have to prove to others that you are worthy. There are times that I would have to stand up for myself, and say what I deserve simply because I am not being treated with the respect that I deserve- or of that anyone deserves. I would speak up and say what is being disrespectful to me. I am able to speak up and say what is on my mind, but for Jefferson and Grant this is not a option. Jefferson had to speak up through his actions, and this was to walk to the chair like a man and with pride.
Overall, “A Lesson Before Dying” is a good novel and I would recommend it to many. It was a novel with a secret meaning to it about dignity, love, and worthiness. To show the reader what the characters learned, and what they had to do to prove their worth to others.
