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A Lesson before Dying

Introduction

The novel “A Lesson before Dying” is penned down by the great novelist Ernest J. Gaines, who published it in the year of 1993. The novel is set under the fictional community of Louisiana, Louisiana in the late years of 1940s. The writing piece defines the story of Jefferson, a 21 year old illiterate black field worker wrongfully charged and convicted of the burglary and murder of a white man, and lead to demise by electrocution. At the time of his trial, the defense attorney of Jefferson indicates that he lacks the intelligence to execute a robbery, and even if he had been demanded in the murder, direct leading him to death will be the part of injustice. Apart from this suspected defense, the entire jury of Jefferson found him blameworthy. In order to analyze the situation, Jefferson internalizes the racist depiction of attorney to him as a dumb creature.

Discussion Analysis

Point of view

The depiction of novel provides the great outlook to the reader about the status of African Americans in the South, before the Civil Rights Movement and after the World War II. It has been observed that Jim Crow South, a literate African American teacher felt alienated and helpless from his own country. In the novel of Ernest, Grant is the only literate person in the community that can be considered as an able person who is far from open oppression. However, his career and life selection is badly bound and he needs to refer the white male authority as "Sir." It has been realized that Grant feels himself under myriad forces because of these disheartening situations (Ernest, 1997). The wishes and pressure of Grant's aunt for adopting a fundamentalist religion, on that he never believes was also demoralizing him.

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