A Lesson Before Dying (1993) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters/People edit see section history

• Paul: Add a description of this character.
• Reverend Ambrose
• Grant Wiggins: The protagonist and narrator of the novel, an elementary school teacher in his mid-twenties. Grant is intelligent and willful, but also somewhat hypocritical and depressed.
• Jefferson: The one sentenced to death, the main man.
• Miss Emma: The aunt of Jefferson, large, suffering, poor health and heart, and former maid, who has the whole idea of what needs to be done for Jefferson--to make him a man and not a hog.
• Tante Lou: Grant’s aunt, and a deeply religious woman.
• Vivian: Grants girlfriend, also a teacher, not yet divorced, and mother of two small children, wise, beautiful.
• Matthew Antoine: Grant's former teacher
• Sheriff Guidry: Typical character, but with some decency.
• Henri Pichot: Plantation owner who Miss Emma used to work for.
• Sam Guidry: The Sherif, I thought.
• Dr. Joseph: White doctor who treated Ms. Emma as a favor.
• Inez: Pichot's maid.
• Melvina: Don't remember.
• Farrell Jarreau
• Irene Cole: Grant's student teacher, also Vivian figures out that she likes Grant.
• Thelma: Don't recall.
• Murphy: Don't remember.
• Vincent: The executioner.
• Mr. Gropé: The shopkeeper who was murdered.
• Juanita
• Claude: Don't recall.
• Louis Rougon: Don't recall.
• Clark: Don't recall.
• Peggy: Don't recall.
• Sidney: Don't recall.
• Mr. Farrell: Don't recall.
• Mary: Don't recall.
• Harry Williams: Don't recall.
• Parnell: Don't recall.

Quotes edit see section history

• “"Tell Nannan I walked."”

  Jefferson

• “"Corn, thats what hogs eat."”

  - Jefferson

• “"Good by mr wigin tell them im strong tell them im a man"”

  Jefferson

• “''Am I supposed to tell someone how to die who has never lived?''”

  Matthew Antoine

• “I want you to show them the difference between what you think you are and what you can be.”

• “"I was there, but i was not there."”

  jefferson

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Bayonne
• Louisiana
• New Orleans
• Louis Washington
• United States
• Bethlehem
• Odessa

First Sentence edit see section history

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

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• Friendship: Describe this theme.
• Race and Racism
• Life and Death
• Death Penalty
• Manhood: The main character seeks the meaning of this because he must teach it to another man before he dies.
• Racism: Throughout the novel, the African Americans are supposed to know their place in a white man's home and in encounters with white men. Because the main character is a powerful, strong black man, racism is something that cages him against his will.
• Butterfly

Series & Lists edit see section history

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Ernest J. Gaines (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• National Book Critics Circle Award (1993: Fiction)
• Pulitzer Prize (Finalist, 1993)
• Oprah's Book Club (October 1993)

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: PS3557.A355 L47
• Dewey: 813/.54

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction › World Literature › United States › African American › Gaines, Ernest
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Literary
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Contemporary

Movie Connections edit see section history

• A Lesson Before Dying (IMDb)

More Books Like This edit see section history