Discussion Questions Ashton Kozlik
Leon M. Goldstein
Ashton Kozlik
F Band
February 21, 2015
Discussion Questions
1. If the jury of Jefferson’s trial was made up of both whites and blacks, how would it change the outcome of the trial? What other factors would’ve played into the discussion and decision of pleading Jefferson guilty or maybe even innocent?
Answer
: In the time that this book took place, there was a lot of discrimination and segregation occurring between blacks and whites, which made this trial very bias. In this case, there were no people in the jury that were on Jeffersons side not because he was wrong, but because of his skin color. If there were people in the jury who were black, they would argue that Jefferson was just an innocent bystander who was seen at the wrong place and at the wrong time. He was just under stress so he drank and took money so that he could get something to eat. The result of the trial would have been different if there were blacks in the jury.
2. If Jefferson’s attorney had not called Jefferson a hog, do you think that the jury would have put some more thought into they’re decision? Did calling Jefferson a hog make it easier for the jury to see that he is a goodfornothing black and that his death would be no different from an animals?
Answer
: I don’t think that there would be a different outcome in the trial since they didn’t see anything else in him than a black man who should get executed because of his skin color.
Also, they didn’t base their opinion in deciding which way the trial would go based on
Jefferson’s side of it so calling him a hog didn’t change which way the trial would’ve went.
3. How do you think the influences of racism affect Grant as a man and how he sees himself in society? Do you think if this book took place in an equal society that Grant would feel more comfortable to let people see him for the man he really is?
Answer
: In my opinion I am not really sure about this but I do know that
Ashton Kozlik
F Band
February 21, 2015
Discussion Questions
1. If the jury of Jefferson’s trial was made up of both whites and blacks, how would it change the outcome of the trial? What other factors would’ve played into the discussion and decision of pleading Jefferson guilty or maybe even innocent?
Answer
: In the time that this book took place, there was a lot of discrimination and segregation occurring between blacks and whites, which made this trial very bias. In this case, there were no people in the jury that were on Jeffersons side not because he was wrong, but because of his skin color. If there were people in the jury who were black, they would argue that Jefferson was just an innocent bystander who was seen at the wrong place and at the wrong time. He was just under stress so he drank and took money so that he could get something to eat. The result of the trial would have been different if there were blacks in the jury.
2. If Jefferson’s attorney had not called Jefferson a hog, do you think that the jury would have put some more thought into they’re decision? Did calling Jefferson a hog make it easier for the jury to see that he is a goodfornothing black and that his death would be no different from an animals?
Answer
: I don’t think that there would be a different outcome in the trial since they didn’t see anything else in him than a black man who should get executed because of his skin color.
Also, they didn’t base their opinion in deciding which way the trial would go based on
Jefferson’s side of it so calling him a hog didn’t change which way the trial would’ve went.
3. How do you think the influences of racism affect Grant as a man and how he sees himself in society? Do you think if this book took place in an equal society that Grant would feel more comfortable to let people see him for the man he really is?
Answer
: In my opinion I am not really sure about this but I do know that