Can you imagine being punished for a crime that you did not commit? Think of a place where a man’s life is so worthless that he might as well be a filthy pig. Imagine rotting in jail, waiting to die, knowing that despite your innocence, no one will help you. All this is reality for Jefferson, a young black man in the American South of the 1940’s, who is sentenced to death following a liquor store robbery. Why? Because he is black, the perfect scapegoat. In court, Jefferson’s defense attorney compares killing him to killing a hog, and snatches away any shred of dignity that he had left. The novel takes the reader through Jefferson’s living nightmare of accepting himself as a sub-human, worthless animal, waiting to be slaughtered.
Grant Wiggins, a frustrated schoolteacher longing to escape his plantation home, is sent down to the jail, expected to miraculously change Jefferson’s view of himself and his impending execution. Grant’s aunt, a close friend of Jefferson’s godmother, convinces him to make frequent visits to the jail and by talking to Jefferson, somehow perform the daunting task of turning him from a ‘hog’ back into ‘a man’.
The author Gaines brilliantly portrays the hapless Jefferson and Grant’s attempts at reaching him and proving to him that no matter how bad the situation is, he is not alone. Jefferson’s bizarre responses to his teacher’s advances are something to look forward to in the book. The broken Jefferson refuses to listen to Grant and instead cowers behind his self-made shell of fear, resentment, and hopelessness.
The story is told from Grant’s educated point of view, which provides a refreshing perspective on the situation of blacks in the South. Grant’s awareness of the white people’s unjust actions fuels his hatred, but his inability to protest against them makes him feel completely powerless.
The novel involves life lessons for not only Jefferson, Grant, and the other characters, but also for the reader. Jefferson’s inspiring journey from being a desolate, poor, hopeless black man to a symbol of resistance and strength for his entire community is one worth discovering. This masterpiece by Gaines is a must-read for anyone who wants to witness the power of hope, solidarity, and change even in the worst of situations.
SUMANT S. DANGI
Junior Editor, Renesa
This article was originally written for and published on Renesa – The Official Media and Publication House of NIT Surat. It was originally titled “Review of A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines”.
