Jefferson In A Lesson Before Dying

In everyone’s lives, each and every person needs assistance or some type of help in their daily routines. These actions can be small, such as helping a friend by holding a book for them, or something in a bigger perspective like assisting them with a self-issue, and guiding them along the way. This can all relate back to Grant and Jefferson. Jefferson was the one who needed the assistance, and Grant was the one who helped him every step of the way. In the novel “A lesson before dying” the prisoner Jefferson transforms with the help of his open-handed mentor Grant, from a hopeless, demoralized man into a genuine person that overcomes his difficulties and weaknesses.
Jefferson was a humble, ordinary, polite man who mostly kept to himself. He
“His expression remained the same- cynical, defiant, painful” (Gaines 85) said by Grant while visiting Jefferson. Perhaps the prisoner was missing the love and compassion from friends and family and felt isolated in his prison cell each day and night. In the middle of one of Grant’s visits, he mentioned to Jefferson how Miss Emma nearly always came home crying each time after she saw her godson, and why Jefferson would not show any compassion for her. He replied, “Cause I’m gon die anyhow.” This tells the reader that Jefferson was dealing with self-issues and he thought his death would do nothing to the people around him. In reality, the entire community was constantly behind him with support. They believed he was anything but a hog, and he did have
“He was the strongest man in that crowded room, Grant Wiggins” (Gaines 253). He was too attached to Jefferson, yet was reassured when Paul told Grant that there was no need to worry since Jefferson was the strongest person in that execution room. This proves that Grant’s hard work helped Jefferson to develop into a strong, brave and bold young man. Grant has helped jefferson transform into the person he became. Paul also says: “ I saw that transformation Grant Wiggins” (Gaines 254). The direct word ‘transformation’ is evident, and shows that the process of a hog to man involving Jefferson was, in fact, real, and he did end up dying with dignity in his soul. Although Grant believes it was all Jefferson who did the transforming individually, his final lesson was discovering his true self, and separating the racial myth that stated his life had no meaning. In the end, Jefferson’s life did have