Essay about Reverend Ambrose and Grant Wiggins in A...

Suffering through the horrors of racism, black Americans appear to have no chance of progression in society. Generation after generation of being uneducated and treated like animals has left the black community in shambles, and thinking they are not as good as the whites. In the 1940s it was difficult to find a black man who could read and write. The black mans illiteracy caused them to believe that they were less civilized than the whites. In Ernest Gaines A Lesson Before Dying, we are introduced to Jefferson, an uneducated, average black man who has been wrongly accused of a murder. Convinced that he is an animal, Jefferson is going to be taught by Reverend Ambrose and Grant Wiggins, the plantation schoolteacher, that he is†¦show more content†¦When Grant says in conversation to Ambrose, I dont owe anybody anything(Gaines 216), it becomes evident that Grant has gained the feeling that he does not need to do anything to improve the community, but just wants to have not hing to do with it. This is in contrast with the reverends feeling the need to save people souls so they can have eternal happiness. Grant and Reverend Ambrose have different perspectives of the world. Grant uses his education to see the world as it really is, but Reverend Ambrose on the other hand uses his knowledge of faith to cover the world of racism up and lives knowing that God is watching over him. When Grant says, No I dont believe in it [heaven](Gaines 217), we see that Grant believes that the only chance he has at living is his present life, racial persecution. Grant feels that since this racially prejudice world is all he will ever have a chance in, he wants to get away from it. By Ambroses saying, Me, Im found(Gaines 217) it becomes clear that he believes that he is saved and will go to heaven. He feels no need to seek a better life, because he knows he has one waiting for him in heaven. This assurance makes it easier to live and allows him to believe his faith is more important than Grants college education. When Grant says, I need to go someplace where I feel Im living. I dont want to spe nd the rest of my life teaching school in a plantation church.(Gaines 29), we can see that Grant isShow MoreRelatedA Lesson Before Dying - Lessons Learnt Before Jeffersons Demise1095 Words   |  5 PagesFormal Essay: A Lesson before Dying Exactly what lessons are learnt, and by whom, before Jefferson is executed? There are, in fact, numerous lessons learnt throughout the novel A Lesson Before Dying and they are learnt by a multitude of different characters. A significant number of characters throughout the book gradually evolve whilst story unfolds with this gradient of change emphasised in Jefferson, Grant Wiggins and the deputy, Paul. The lessons substantiate themselves in the words andRead MoreA Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines1640 Words   |  7 PagesThe definition of what it means to be a human or a man, is a topic that is has been and is often discussed all over the world today. In the novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, Gaines breaks down the meaning of what it means to be a man thought a character named Grant Wiggins. Grant Wiggins is the main character of the novel and is a very educated African-American man who is also a teacher at a local church in the town. He is trying to define and understand the concept of what it meansRead MoreEssay on A Lesson before Dyi ng730 Words   |  3 Pagespeople we interact with as well. In Ernest J. Gaines novel, A Lesson Before Dying, it is easy to see how religion impacts the community. In a small community such as this novel depicts, religion is the driving force behind nearly every decision made in the story and can be justified solely on the individuals values. It is interesting to view religion as the most visible consistency in the novel when the main character, Grant Wiggins, is himself an atheist. Although he himself does not believeRead MoreCompare And Contrast A Lesson Before Dying And Into The Wild1696 Words   |  7 PagesCompare and Contrast Summer Essay â€Å"A Lesson Before Dying† and â€Å"Into The Wild† are both books that defy the expected, tackle tough obstacles, and face the physical and mental extremes of life. 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Gaines †¢ Born in 1933 in Oscar, Louisiana †¢ Author and educator †¢ Wrote several books- Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman discusses periodRead MoreEssay on A Lesson Before Dying Major Works Data Sheet4251 Words   |  18 Pagesï » ¿Data Sheet – English 1 Honors Block: 1AB Date: 4/27/13 Title: A Lesson Before Dying Author: Ernest J. Gaines Genre: Historical Fiction Title Associations or Predictions: Given the title, A Lesson Before Dying, we can infer and predict that a character in the book will die. Also, we can predict that before they die, they will learn something, probably a valuable lesson Biographical Information about the author: Ernest J. Gaines was born in Oscar, Louisiana in 1933. He was bornRead MoreA Lesson Before Dying By Ernst J. Gaines1245 Words   |  5 Pagesapparent, was in the United States, specifically in the South. Slavery can be seen as one of the United State’s negative times in history. Slaves were treated poorly and were considered inferior to white Americans or white people in general. In â€Å"A Lesson Before Dying† by Ernst J. Gaines, the theme of racial discrimination is prevalent due to the institution of slavery and this discrimination leads to degrading of people, labeling, name-calling, and segregation within the society. Slavery opened the doorRead MoreA Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines1321 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"You don’t get to choose how you’re going to die and when, you can only decide how you are going to live†. (Joan Baez). In the novel A Lesson Before Dying, written by Ernest J. Gaines, Jefferson doesn’t get to choose how and when he’s going to die, but he learns valuable lessons from Grant about how to live the rest of his life. This novel takes place in Bayonne, Louisiana, in the late 1940s. Jefferson is a twenty-one-year-old uneducated black man, who is accused of a robbery and murder that he didRead MoreWhat Good Can Might Come From Suffering?2195 Words   |  9 Pagessuffering walks right along side with us to redeem the long road of darkness it causes to shedding some light on the walkway. Sometimes the act of an individual’s sufferings can be another person’s redemption or salvation. Better said, in A Lesson Before Dying, Jef ferson, a twenty-one year black male, is condemned to the electric chair after being innocently involved in an armed robbery. Although the imaginable suffering of Jefferson can already be seen, his lawyer calls him a hog in front of theRead MoreRacism In A Lesson Before Dying Essay1978 Words   |  8 Pagesaccused of murdering and robbing a liquor store and is simply profiled because of his skin color.â€Å" Gentlemen of the jury, be merciful. For God’s sake, be merciful. He is innocent of all charges brought against him.† ( Gaines 8.) The book A Lesson Before Dying, shows an overwhelming amount of racism, with the use of the â€Å"n† word in a derogatory form towards African Americans, but these kids don t face racism just in the classroom, it was an everyday thing for an African American back then to encounter