A Lesson before Dying

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Recommended: How has religion affected literature

In the world we live in today, religion is an extremely vibrant factor, not only in the environment surrounding us but with the people we interact with as well. In Ernest J. Gaines' novel, A Lesson Before Dying, it is easy to see how religion impacts the community. In a small community such as this novel depicts, religion is the driving force behind nearly every decision made in the story and can be justified solely on the individual's values.

It is interesting to view religion as the most visible consistency in the novel when the main character, Grant Wiggins, is himself an atheist. Although he himself does not believe in things such as heaven or hell he is still impacted upon by the community around him. Grant, an educated man, has returned to his home town after attending college with aspirations of teaching children. At the same time Grant is teaching, a man named Jefferson is convicted for murder, his situation seemingly undeniable that he will be executed. At the court hearing, Jefferson pleads innocent and his lawyer's defense is to make Jefferson appear to be nothing more than a "hog." He does this to give the jury the idea that Jefferson, a man of little intelligence, is incapable of plotting such a murder. Being a black man in the South the jury's decision is a no-brainer, guilty; sentenced to death. Jefferson's godmother, Miss Emma, seeks help for Jefferson so as to let him die like a man. She turns to Grant for help, but Grant resists. After some more pressure from Grant's Aunt, Tante Lou, Grant agrees to help Jefferson to the best of his ability. Grant, never denying the injustices done to his fellow black men, was at first reluctant to help. It took some major influence from his Aunt, a religious w...

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...lways hoping, never get anywhere. This is a complex that Grant is starting to shine light on and through his work with Jefferson it is clear a connection is made. This connection is seen at the end of the novel where Grant, after hearing the news of the completion of the execution, begins to shed tears of sadness.

In conclusion, the novel A Lesson Before Dying, written by Ernest J. Gaines, certainly lives up to its title. After reading the novel and analyzing the characters one could easily assume this lesson is one closely related to religion. Religion is the center of the community, a way to gain back dignity, and also a way to convey hope. Throughout the novel we see enlightenment in some of the characters and we also see a tight-knit community just striving to pull through. It is this that helps exemplify religion as the thread that ties it all together.

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