The Strength to Change the World in A Lesson Before Dying...

What if you were sentenced to death for a crime you did not commit? What if you were then proclaimed to be a hog by a jury of your peers? What if you had 5 months to learn to grow from the hog you are said to be, to a man so that you are able to stand tall and walk to your death on your own two legs with your head held high? What would you learn? These questions are the central conflict of the novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines. This book takes place on a plantation in the deeply racist state of Louisiana in the 1940s, where a black man named Jefferson is sentenced to death by means of the electric chair by an all-white jury for a murder that he did not commit. Jefferson’s white lawyer’s only defense is that Jefferson, being a†¦show more content†¦In this quote, he shows all the things he has gained from his acceptance, demonstrating strength (when he says I’m strong), manhood (when he says and truly believes â€Å"im a man mr wigin,† ) and the maturity to keep his composure when saying goodbye. All of these inner changes were only brought around and realized by Jefferson after he learned to take acceptance of responsibility for his actions. Jefferson also learned to sacrifice himself for others. Early in the book, Grant defines heroism. He says, â€Å"Do you know what a hero is Jefferson? A hero is someone who does something for other people. He does something other men don’t and can’t do. He is different from other men. He is above other men†¦. A hero does for others. He would do anything for the people he loves, because he knows it will make their lives better,† (Gaines 191). Grant’s definition of heroism says that heroes are people who sacrifice themselves for others, and that heroes are above other men. In the book, Jefferson does become a hero by sacrificing himself for others. After Grant has his talk, Jefferson sits down at the table with his nannan and eats the cold gumbo that she puts out for him, not because he wants it, for he had previously said he wasn’t hungry, but because he knows it will make her happy. This is Jefferson’s small sacrifice, but for the fact t hat he is upon death’s edge, it took real courageShow MoreRelatedA Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines1122 Words   |  5 PagesThe Power of a Strong Character In the novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, racism and prejudice are clearly evident and talked about throughout the novel. The novel expresses the oppression of the blacks under a white-ruled society through the narrator, Grant. Grant is a well-educated black man who struggles to free himself from the oppression he has felt from the white community. Despite the fact that he is educated and a teacher, he initially lacks the vigor needed to take the firstRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesPower and Politics 411 Conflict and Negotiation 445 Foundations of Organization Structure 479 v vi BRIEF CONTENTS 4 The Organization System 16 Organizational Culture 511 17 Human Resource Policies and Practices 543 18 Organizational Change and Stress Management 577 Appendix A Research in Organizational Behavior Comprehensive Cases Indexes Glindex 637 663 616 623 Contents Preface xxii 1 1 Introduction What Is Organizational Behavior? 3 The Importance