A Lesson Before Dying: Summary - Book Report/Review Example

?A Lesson Before Dying Summary: Chapter The novel opens with a recollection, as Grant Wiggins remembers the outcome of the trial. Although he was absent, he knew what the verdict would be. He pictures the courtroom and all those watching, and their reactions. He continues in his reverie, remembering the events that led up to the trial. According to Grant, Jefferson was on the way to the White Rabbit Bar when two black men approached him and offered him a ride to the bar. Once in the bar, Brother and Bear demanded the storeowner, Aclee Grope, to give them drinks on credit. When Aclee refused their request, a fight broke out, which escalated to a shootout. The battle resulted in the deaths of Aclee, Brother and Bear, leaving Jefferson alone in the restaurant, bewildered by what he had just witnessed. He then drank some whiskey to calm his nerves, and took a moment to digest the situation. That was when he spotted the open cash register, even though he knew he stealing was wrong, he took the money and tried to flee. He almost made it out the door when two white men spotted him. The prosecution’s stance was that Jefferson had every intention of robbing and killing Aclee when he entered the Bar. Grant says that Jefferson’s attoryney defended him by saying that as a boy and a fool, Jefferson is incapable of planning the robbery and murder, much less implementing it. The jury, composed mainly of white folk, deliberate for a few short hours before returning with a guilty verdict for robbery and murder in the first degree. Jefferson is later sentenced to death by electrocution. Chapter 2 Grant’s Aunt, Tante Lou, and Jefferson’s godmother, Miss Emma, are at the kitchen table when Grant arrives home from school. He knows that they had been waiting for him to talk about the trial. Though Grant does not want to talk about it, the women insist, and Miss Emma suggests they go over to the prison to teach Jefferson to die with dignity. Grant refuses angrily, insisting that there is nothing he can do to help Jefferson. He is further angered when Tante Lou suggests they pay a visit to Mr. Henry Pichot who may help them see Jefferson. Chapter 3 Grant, together with the two women went to see Mr. Pichot at the Pichot plantation. Miss Emma had been a cook there most her life, a legacy her mother and grandmother shared. Henry Pichot and Louis Rougon meet with them. Miss Emma is able to convince Mr. Pichot to allow Grant to visit the prison to educate Jefferson by reminding him of all the years of service she had for his family. Chapter 4 Grant drops off his Aunt and Miss Emma, and goes to Bayonne. He wanders into the black section of town, and enters the Rainbow Club. His girlfriend Vivian arrives soon after, and they talk about their relationship. They get into an argument, in which it is revealed that their relationship needs to be kept hidden until after her divorce is finalized. He also tells her about Jefferson’s sentence. Chapter 5 The following morning, Grant goes to the plantation where he teaches black children from kinder to grade six. The school is located in a church, and Grant only works as a teacher for less than six months as his children are put to work on the fields for majority of the year. That day he is in a bad mood, and smacks one of his students in the head for playing with an insect. He explains that he is trying turn them into men, telling the class of the task Ms. Emma had put him up to with Jefferson. Before the class ends, Grant is informed that Mr. Pichot wants to speak with him. Chapter 6 Grant waits for Mr. Pichot’s brother in law, Sherrif Sam Guildry in the kitchen. It takes a while before Mr. Guildry and his wife arrive home. While waiting for Sam Guildry to meet with him, he converses with the wife, Edna, who asks him a lot of questions. Finally, after another hour of waiting, four men: the sheriff, Mr. Pichot, Louis Rougon and a fat man enter the kitchen. They ask him what his business is with Jefferson, and he tells them honestly that he himself hasn’t got a clue. The Sheriff tells him that he would be allowed to see Jefferson in a matter of weeks, but tells him that he thinks his efforts are futile. He warns him that if Jefferson is aggravated by his presence, his visiting privileges would be revoked. Chapter 7 The following weeks, Grant prepares for the annual visit of the superintendent of schools, Dr. Joseph Morgan. Since they are unaware of when the superintendent is to arrive, he devotes time in ensuring that his children appear acceptable and decent. Dr. Morgan eventually conducts his inspection, calling several boys and girls to observe. When the inspection is complete, Dr. Morgan gives the class a lecture on proper hygiene and physical labor. The visit ends with a dispute, as Grant mentions the poor quality of books the children receive, which annoys the superintendant. Chapter 8 The school soon receives its first load of wood for the winter, which is promptly chopped up by the children. Watching this, Grant recalled his own childhood with his teacher Mr. Antione. He described Mr. Antione as a bitter man, who obviously hated his students. Grant calls his former teacher a mulatto, or mixed race. He was said to have considered himself superior to the blacks. Grant had once paid his old teacher a visit, where he was given the advice to make the best of his situation. Chapter 9 Grant and Miss Emma go to the jail in Bayonne, where they are met by two deputies named Clark and Paul. They are inspected and allowed to enter. Jefferson is inside his cell, staring at the ceiling. Emma tries to talk to him, but he is unwilling to cooperate, and refuses the food Ms. Emma offers him. Chapter 10 Grant and Miss Emma continue to visit Jefferson without much progress. On the fourth visit however, Emma is said to be ill, but when Grant visits her, he is convinced that she is faking her illness. He believes this is a scheme for the ladies to get him to go to the jail alone. Chapter 11 Without the aid of Ms. Emma, Grant approaches Jefferson with caution. He asks Jefferson if he would like any food, to which Jefferson replies with a stark comment of how hogs eat corn. To that he gets on his knees and acts like an animal, sticking his head into the bag of food Grant brought with him. Grant watches him and finally asks him what he is trying to do. The chapter ends with Grant telling Jefferson that white men think that he is a hopeless situation. Chapter 12 Instead of telling Ms. Emma of Jefferson’s irrational anger, Grant heads to the Rainbow Club. He spends some time thinking about Jackie Robinson and a boxer named Joe Louis. He abruptly goes to the school where Vivian teaches middle school, and finds her working at her desk. He tries to convince her to leave the South with him, but she reasons with him. They leave to get a drink, and she informs him that many people know that they are having an affair. Chapter 13 Grant remembers how he came home last Friday to find Miss Emma and Reverent Ambrose at the table with his aunt. When asked about his visit to the jail, he lied and said that he encountered no problems. Grant talks about how he became distant from the church and his faith because he had spent so much time studying. Despite his efforts to run, he found that he could not escape the influence of the black church. Vivian suddenly shows up, unannounced on Grants doorstep. Chapter 14 Grant tours Vivian around the house and offers her some cake and coffee. They go for a walk through the plantation to the sugarcane fields. In the middle of the field, they make love and discuss the possibilities of future children and building a family together. Grant reveals he does not want his children to grow up in this community. Chapter 15 The couple makes their way home. Vivian tells Grants that she hopes that his family would accept her. She discloses her severed relationship with her own family, who had shunned her for marrying a dark skinned man and keeping her marriage a secret. Grant introduces Vivian to his aunt, Miss Emma and other guests at his house. There is apparent tension between Grant and his Aunt swells, as Tante Lou presses Vivian about her religious background. After being interrogated by the ladies, Vivian leaves with Grant. Chapter 16 Miss Emma asks Grant to see her. They have a discussion about Jefferson, and she says that she knows that he had lied about the pleasantness of his previous meeting with him. She said that she had a disturbing experience with him, as he viciously asked him if she had any corn for a hog, which prompted her to slap him. This irritates Grant, telling her that he feels he can no longer help him, and that he refuses to allow him to make him feel guilty. Tante Lou pushes him to keep going back to visit Jefferson. Chapter 17 Grant visits Jefferson in prison and tries to talk about the pain he had cause Miss Emma with his behavior the last time she visited. Although Jefferson is being difficult and tries to cause trouble, Grant realizes that Jefferson needs him. Guidry and Grant discuss if there is any progress made by Grant’s visits. Guidry is apparently angered at the request Miss Emma had made to meet in the dayroom. Chapter 18 Jefferson says that he would prefer to meet his visitors in the day room. However, when Miss Emma and the others visit him, they discover that he his in shackles. He sits at the table, but refuses to eat the food Miss Emma tries to feed him. Chapter 19 During the Christmas season, the community had raised enough money to buy Jefferson some clothes. Grants class sets up a Christmas Program, where the dramatic reading of the poem ‘Twas a Night Before Christmas’ affected everybody. Grant wonders if change will ever come to his town, or if everyone would remain in the same monotony forever. Chapter 20 The date for Jefferson’s execution is finalized, and Grant goes to the house of Mr. Pichot, where the others await the news of Jefferson’s impending death. The date is set to the second Friday after Easter, between noon and three pm. Chapter 21 Grant spends the day with Vivian. They have a brief visit to Miss Emma before heading to the Rainbow club where they both drink brandy. They discuss Grant’s relationship with his aunt and Miss Emma. They discuss how black men had failed to protect their women, and how this is a vicious cycle in the South. Grant says that his aunt and Miss Emma expect more from him, that they think that he is different. Chapter 22 Grant’s visit to Jefferson turns out better than usual. Jefferson responds to Grant when he asks what he wants, saying that he would like a whole gallon of ice cream. Grant is able to give Jefferson a little radio. Chapter 23 Miss Emma, Tante Lou and Reverent Ambrose go to visit Jefferson and find that he refuses to leave his room because of his radio. He remains silent and just lies on his bed listening to his radio. When the three see Grant, they accuse him of giving him the radio that is a bad influence on Jefferson. In the next meeting Grant had with Jefferson, he asked Jefferson to meet Miss Emma in the dayroom. He offers to bring him a little notebook so that Jefferson may jot down this thoughts as they come to him. Grant feels like he is finally getting through to Jefferson. Chapter 24 Grant and Miss Emma visit Jefferson in the day room. Grant gives him the notebook and pencil he promised. Jefferson was uncooperative at first, but he later opens up as he walks and talks with Grant. They talk about heroism, and Grant shares a myth about how black men were not seen as human. He tries to convince Jefferson to stand up against the whites, and they both end up crying. Chapter 25 As Grant waits for Vivian at the Rainbow Club, he overhears a conversation between two mulatto bricklayers. They declare that Jefferson should have been executed a long time ago. This angers Grant to the point that he goes over to tell them to keep quiet. Grant is knocked out in the fight that followed. Chapter 26 Grant awakens in Vivian’s bedroom, where he was brought to recover. Vivian asks Grant to stay for the night. They have a mild argument, which ends with Grant realizing that everything that he cared about is within Vivian’s house. Chapter 27 Reverent Ambrose approaches Grant to ask for his help in teaching Jefferson about God. Grant declines, saying that he himself does not believe in the church and he cannot lie to Jefferson by pretending to do so. The Reverend becomes angry, and reveals how Tante Lou had been lying to him to get him through college. Chapter 28 In the next meeting of Grant to Jefferson, the two speak about God. Grant asks Jefferson how the meeting with the reverend went, and he tells him that he was told to pray. Jefferson asks Grant if he prays, and Grant is honest in saying that he does not believe in anything and feels lost. He tells Jefferson that he must find something to believe in. Their conversation continues to the topic death and Jefferson’s impending execution. Chapter 29 Jefferson’s diary reveals Jefferson’s thoughts and his insights on life in prison. He questions God and authority, and in his thinking realizes that he had always expected so little of himself. In the days before his execution, people visit him, giving him things and traveling just to speak to him in person. This brings him to tears, as he had never received so much attention before. Vivian accompanies Grant in visiting Jefferson. Jefferson becomes shy in her presence because he feels he looks dirty and ugly. Jefferson tells Grant of how appreciative he is of him. The day before his execution, Jefferson is given a special dinner and a shower. Unable to sleep, he writes in his journal and decides to watch the sunrise on his last morning. The radio is turned off, and he writes farewell to Grant in his diary. Chapter 30 Grant and Vivian are in the Rainbow Club the night before the execution. After he parts ways with Vivian he takes a moment to drive around before going to his Aunt’s house. Sheriff Guidry talks to his wife over breakfast about the execution that day. He supervises the unloading process, and asks Paul to shave Jefferson’s head, ankles and wrists. Jefferson asks Paul to deliver the diary to Grant and to give the radio away. Chapter 31 The hour before Jefferson’s execution, Grant is outside his schoolhouse, reminiscing his old friends and loved ones. Grant stifles tears for Jefferson, telling himself that he is one of many, and that he could not possibly cry for all of them. He says that he puts his faith in Jefferson. In the minutes before noon, Grant tells his students to kneel. He again questions God and his faith. Minutes pass, and Paul’s car drives up to the church. Paul hands Grant Jefferson’s notebook and tells him of the great strength Jefferson exuded as he walked toward his death. Paul tells Grant of the impact he made on Jefferson, and asks to be his friend. Grant accepts, returns to his students, and cries. Analysis on the theme of injustice, and accepting responsibility The theme of injustice and racism are prevalent through out the novel. Grant is critical about the discrimination he sees in his society. His judgment is influenced by his experiences growing up, wherein he had been treated as an inferior because he was black. He speaks of his mulatto teacher, Mr. Antoine who told him: “I can’t tell you anything about life… What do I know about life? I stayed here. There’s nothing but ignorance here. You want to know about life? Well, it’s too late. Forget it. Just go on and be the nigger you were born to be, but forget about life” (Gaines, 65). Although Grant often speaks about the inequity he witnesses around him, he does not act to make a change about it. He would try to convince Vivian to run away with him, and tells her that he does not want their future children growing up in his quarter. He expresses longing to take Mr. Antoine’s advice and leave the South in search of a better life, but finds it difficult to do so. He tells Vivian “We black men have failed to protect our women since the time of slavery. We stay here in the South and are broken, or we run away and leave them alone to look after the children and themselves. So each time a male child is born, they hope he will be the one to change this vicious circle - which he never does. Because even though he wants to change, and maybe even tries to change it, it is too heavy a burden because of all the others who have run away and left their burdens behind. So he, too, must run away if he is to hold on to his sanity and have a life of his own.” (Gaines 168) Like Mr. Antione, he believes that there is no way for his to change society without destroying himself. Moreover, the trial of Jefferson brings out Grants cynical attitude. The trial embodies a corrupt, bias system set up to enforce the superiority of the white race. He sees the injustices of a man being demeaned and perceived as an animal. Jefferson’s defense Attorney had said: “ What justice would there be to take this life? Justice, Gentlemen? Why, I would just as soon put a hog in the electric chair as this” (Gaines, 8). He sees a judge and jury blinded by their prejudices to turn a blind eye to justice and convict and innocent man to death. It frustrates him that no one is doing anything to change the problem of racism, which is evident in the way the entire community apparently accepts Jefferson’s wrongful conviction. His stark recognition of injustice leads him to a realization which ultimately prompts him to act and face responsibility. He realizes that his pessimistic attitude is not going to bring about any change and that even small victories can make a difference. He sincerely makes the effort to try to help Jefferson in his plight. He accepts this task as his duty to make an impact in his society, to make others see the injustices they are living with. He tells Jefferson to “show them the difference between what they think you are and what you can be” (Gaines, 194). 3,240 words Work Cited: Gaines, Ernest J. A Lesson before Dying. New York: Vintage, 1994. Print. Read More