Damien Tokar Mr. Hoover English Sect. 5 30 May 2024 Christian Values in A Lesson Before Dying The Christian belief of carrying one's Cross is a prevalent theme throughout Ernest J. Gaines’ realistic fiction novel A Lesson Before Dying. Set in the fictional town of Bayonne in Louisiana in the late 1940s, teacher Grant Wiggins battles both the pressure of his small town and his inner thoughts as he attempts to make Jefferson, an innocent black man on death row for a murder he did not commit, feel worthy and valued in the face of bigotry. Throughout the story, numerous references to Christian theology are made that each tie back to the overarching theme of people carrying their crosses, a symbolic representation of the difficult burdens of life. In particular, Grant combats the pressure to
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Jefferson's call out to Grant can be perceived as a gentle cry as opposed to one rooted in violence. Although disheartening, the final thoughts and words of Jefferson reveal an indescribable mental contentment as his final days approach. The heavy cross he has carried throughout the entire novel now feels lightweight. Where Grant battles social expectations, Jefferson is able to find liberation within them, which marks a large contrast between the two characters and their perceptions of life as a whole. Finally, as Reverend Ambrose reveals to Grant that he too tells lies, it is an eye opening experience for both men, as Ambrose comes to appreciate Grant’s willingness to listen, and Grant finds himself seeing Ambrose in a more human-like respect. After being put on an unwanted pedestal all his life, Ambrose reveals to Grant an otherwise confidential piece of his life. “That's why you look down on me, because you know I lie” (Gaines 218). As the two discuss in what becomes a heated interaction, Ambrose humanizes himself with his words as he talks about
Jefferson's call out to Grant can be perceived as a gentle cry as opposed to one rooted in violence. Although disheartening, the final thoughts and words of Jefferson reveal an indescribable mental contentment as his final days approach. The heavy cross he has carried throughout the entire novel now feels lightweight. Where Grant battles social expectations, Jefferson is able to find liberation within them, which marks a large contrast between the two characters and their perceptions of life as a whole. Finally, as Reverend Ambrose reveals to Grant that he too tells lies, it is an eye opening experience for both men, as Ambrose comes to appreciate Grant’s willingness to listen, and Grant finds himself seeing Ambrose in a more human-like respect. After being put on an unwanted pedestal all his life, Ambrose reveals to Grant an otherwise confidential piece of his life. “That's why you look down on me, because you know I lie” (Gaines 218). As the two discuss in what becomes a heated interaction, Ambrose humanizes himself with his words as he talks about