A Lesson Before Dying - Two Conflicting Forces

A detailed Summary of A Lesson Before Dying - Two Conflicting Forces

A commitment to stay in the small town and an equal want to leave it were the two forces pulling on Grant Wiggins in A Lesson Before Dying. His desire to leave the town is evident in his thoughts about it and the fact that it states he had attempted to leave before. Such inner dialogue as, "I wanted to scream at my aunt; I was screaming inside. I had told her many, many times how much I hated this place and all I wanted to do was get away." (15) demonstrate Grant's wish to leave. He wishes to leave because he felt stifled in such a place: "'I need to go someplace where I can feel I'm living,' I said. 'I don't want to spend the rest of my life teaching school in a plantation church.'" (29)

This side of him conflicts with his commitment to Jefferson, Miss Emma, and, being the teacher he is, the children. Vivian reminds him of this in Chapter 4, explaining that this commitment is the reason for him coming back after the aforementioned episode. He also feels the need to stay in the town because of Vivian, not just what she says: "'Then why haven't you gone?' 'Because of you (Vivian).'" (29)

Despite his love for Vivian, Grant's wishes to leave become embedded even farther upon Miss Emma's request of him. He sees no way

Grant begins to prejudice against people, however, and this shows him how he cannot get away from it. He prejudices against the mulattos, before his fight with the two of them: "Dumb as hell..." (198) Grant uses racism to fuel his desire to help Jefferson. Because so many white people have denied that he can make a difference, Grant feels the need to prove them wrong, seen specifically when he wants to leave Jefferson early: "I wanted to leave, but it was too early: the sheriff would have had his proof that I hadn't reached Jefferson, that I was giving up." (140) He obviously does not want to be with Jefferson most of the time-"And I wished I were somewhere else." (72)-but sticks it out because he does not want to fulfill the whites' expectations of him.

in which he can help Jefferson: "'What can I do? It's only a matter of weeks, a couple of months, maybe. What can I do that you haven't done the past twenty-one years?'" (13) This prejudice he makes towards Jefferson and his ignorance helps reveal the meaning of the work that his conflict elucidates. The common meaning of the work is prejudice and racism affects everyone. Aside from the obvious, the jury, the police, and the majority of other white characters in the story that are constantly prejudice, Grants inner conflict plays a large role in the work's theme.

Furthermore, Grant witnesses even more prejudice in the mulattos he overhears at the bar, in Chapter 25, speaking about the need for Jefferson's past due death penalty: "'Should have burned him months ago.'"(198) This example and the pre

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Approximate Word count = 1063
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English