Character Analysis: A Lesson Before Dying

A Lesson before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines is story about a young man, Jefferson, who is receiving the death penalty for being wrongly convicted of murder. Grant, an African American teacher, faces the struggles of an unequally segregated education system. Throughout the story, Gaines writes about the different forms of racial discrimination and how it impacts the world of the characters in an unjust manner. A Lesson before Dying reflects the social norms and daily lives of blacks during the 1940s when segregation and views from a white’s perspective impacted the education and opportunities of African Americans in a cycle that restricted their lives.
Gaines demonstrates through his book how from years of whites controlling blacks and overwhelming racist beliefs, African Americans were still looked at as inferior and whites wrongly believed that they would be nothing without them. As
described in Separate but Equal the Desegregation of America’s Schools, “African Americans were frequently characterized as an ignorant and helpless people who were unable to survive without the help of a benevolent--and superior--white society” (Sharp 15). As explained by Karen Carmean, author of Ernest J. Gaines a critical companion, the book then reflects those beliefs of inferiority: “Readers witness casual everyday occurrences of personal insult designed to keep black people humble and intimidated, in other words ‘in their place’” (Carmean 122). For example, the lawyer that is supposed to defend Jefferson describes him as fool and even says he isn’t mature yet: “Gentlemen of the jury, look at this-this-this boy. I almost said man, but I can’t say man. Oh, sure, he has reached the age of twenty-one, when we civilized men, consider the male species has reached man hood, but would you call this-this a man? No not I, I would call it a boy and a fool. A fool does what others tell him to do” (Gaines 7). Jefferson’s lawyer doesn’t even treat him like the innocent person he truly is and instead insults him by saying that colored people his age are still not mature and civilized in order to imply that his race is better. Furthermore, even Grant, a very educated man, still had trouble with inferiority while confronting Henri Pichot, the sheriff’s brother in law, for help: “Mr. Pichot and his companions also expect Grant Wiggins to act a certain way because he is black. “Even though they know Wiggins is an educated man, they make it clear to him that he should mumble, use improper grammar and not meet them eye to eye”( “A Lesson” 163). Grant may be smarter than Mr. Pichot but they still expect him to act like he is less: “I tried to decide just how I should respond to them. Whether I should act like the teacher I was or like the nigger I was supposed to be” (Gaines 47). Mr.Pichot and others damaged his way of thinking resulting in him being less confident in his intellectual abilities. In the 1940s, whites damaged the lives of blacks by believing they are subordinate.
Due to all the discriminating views whites have of blacks, it ends up playing a roll on their education as well. Colored schools had many disadvantages and were not equal to white schools like they were supposed to: “Nearly 70-80 percent of all funding, in fact, was used for white schools so African American schools did not get the same opportunities and education” (Sharp 15). Just like the classroom in the book, this shows how education back then was a racist system. Adding on to that, “They got less tax money, limited and non-advanced classes and no extracurricular activities” (Koestler 16). Although African Americans equally payed the same amount of taxes as whites, it was not used fairly in return. Another example is when in the book, the reader learns about the conditions of a colored school through the teacher’s perspective while the superintendent came for a visit: “Dr. Joseph visited the colored schools once a year, the white schools probably twice” (Gaines 53). While he was there, he had a lack of interest for all of Grant’s hard work and the education of his students and did not care about Grant’s request of more necessary supplies (Carmean 119). Even though he faces many disadvantages, Grant pushes his students to do their best and is very tough on them because he knows they are able to do just as good as or even better than white students. Unfortunately, not only did segregation affect children’s self-esteem, but some whites believed that African Americans didn’t deserve an education making it even tougher for them to go to school (Koestler 11). Without them believing in themselves, they will never try to pursue any good jobs even though they are perfectly capable of more than what the rest of the world thinks of them. The segregated education system in A Lesson before Dying was unequal and unethically ruined the way of thinking for students.
Through his characters, Gaines showed that with lack of a suitable education in a demoralizing society the opportunities of blacks were limited.
Although Grant is very educated he is reduced to a job he hates: “Thus, Grant is allowed only one profession and even this is limited by a white power structure. Not only does Grant actively hate teaching, he believes his efforts are wasted since his students will have little choice other than to become field workers” (Carmean 125). Grant really hates the fact that no matter how hard he tries to created disciplined and well taught students, he can’t teach them how to be successful as someone who is colored. No matter how hard his students worked, their career choices are still limited: “Many employers did not hire or respect African Americans regardless of their skills or education” (Koestler 20). Even though they are putting in the effort and are learning they are still held back to be doing jobs where their education is not needed. A Lesson before Dying is an excellent example of how the education system in the 1940s was truly
unequal.
Since the opportunities of blacks were flawed, A Lesson before Dying depicts how all together, the beliefs, education systems and opportunities for colored people all together created a cycle that damages their lives. Grant figures out the biggest problem his students will face. All of the obstacles restricting them from living the same lifestyle as someone who is white are unmanageable to stop by themselves. David R. Goldfield, an American historian and author, backs ups this statement by pointing out that “The black child came out of the public school system handicapped for life in the 20th century, but generally suited to assume his position [an inferior one] in the American south” (qtd. in Sharp 16). Goldfield is explaining how from all the discrimination and disadvantages they faced growing up continued after school but caused a much more devastating effect in a cycle later on in life. In other words, views and racist beliefs impacted and restricted their education and job opportunities. The corrupt education system then damaged their opportunities further. If blacks are unable to get good paying jobs or any jobs at all, it could impact the generations after. The lack of education and racist views impacted the opportunities of these unfairly treated blacks in cycle that negatively affected their lives.
In a demoralizing cycle, the beliefs, education system and opportunities for colored people made life much more challenging in this segregated time period. This awful cycle then caused many hardships for African Americans across the country. A Lesson before Dying portrays a time period in which whites made the endeavors of African Americans ineffective as they considered themselves as superior by limiting their lives and capabilities.