A lesson Before Dying Free Essays

In the book â€Å" A lesson Before Dying† the chracters in the book have a lot of different personalities. There are many ways to compare the meaning of the characters name to themselves in the book. Grant’s name means great and as in the story he struggles between the meaning of life and the things that control it, many influences in his life show him valuble things that help him get through his struggles of being a black man in the south with an education, and himself considering he is powerless against changing his life around. We will write a custom essay sample on A lesson Before Dying or any similar topic only for you Order Now Vivian’s name means alive, and as it shows she is a white schoolteacher and represents grants individualist side, in a way that pushes him in the way of doing great things, but her family does not accept grant because of his color. She shows frant the meaning of being alive and working for things. Emma’s name means universal so in a way it ties in with her in the story because she has an open mind and is kind to everyone no matter the race, or ethnicity. She shows people the good they have in themselves and why it is important to show love and kindness. Lastly there is Paul and his name means small, since he is the youngest in the sheriff’s department he is more tolerant but stubborn, and finds new ways for things, and everyone say he comes from a good stock, which means he comes from a family that he treats people well regardless of race or ethnicity. Many of the names from the characters go along with their personalities in the story, not always exactly the same but close to who they are. How to cite A lesson Before Dying, Essay examples A Lesson Before Dying Free Essays Professor Askassi ENGL 102 Section 021 12 April 2010 Rodnika’s Personal Reflection on A Lesson Before Dying. The story, A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines is a awesome book so far. We will write a custom essay sample on A Lesson Before Dying or any similar topic only for you Order Now I can relate to this whole situation in numerous of ways. This story just bring back a time that my brother had to go through years ago and how he is still paying the price even though he guilty in all matters. I believe that the court system is full of a lot of stuff. They convict incents people for no reason. I can imagine how not only Jefferson but his family is going through. My life has change in way that I couldn’t imagine after my brother was locked up and sentence to life in prison. My life changed tremendously on August 15, 2007 as I sat in the court room with my family and friend as the prosecutor read the verdict of my brother Rodney as guilty with two counts of first-degree murder charges and life in prison. I sat there crying over and over again because I knew that just wasn’t true and they made a mistake but then I realize that I will never see my brother again walking on these streets. The way I was raised as I’m my brother keeper and the same goes for him. Even though, he wasn’t my mother child she felt grief that I was going through. Just a year before, my brother and I were sitting outside Barry Farm neighborhood in Washington, Dc with my cousins and friends on a nice spring day. We all was out enjoying the sun and was glad to be around the neighborhood where all the fun happens at. Even, thought this environment wasn’t as safe as it should we still enjoy ourselves and was glad to be around there. But then same night time, and that was my key to go in the house because too much stuff goes on at night time. I got a funny feeling inside of me to tell my brother to come inside too but at the age of twenty-one he just wouldn’t listen to me. The clock hit one in the morning and I started to hear a lot of gun shots outside of my cousin window. Then when I heard a lot going off I just knew something wasn’t right. I looked outside and there was a shootout going on in the neighborhood. I was scared and nervous cause I didn’t know where my brother was. The gun shot had to have stopped twenty minutes later. I called and called my brother because I heard police siren everywhere in neighborhood. But, he never answered the phone. I didn’t sleep at all that night. But, then I finally got a phone call saying that the police had locked him up and took him in. I was so shocked I knew my brother wasn’t responsible for that dangerous activity that went on. When, my family and I got down there they said there are locking my brother up because he was the key shooter of this event and they found the gun he was using. I knew my brother never owned a gun. We had to wait months for the DA to come out with evidenced that they thought they had on Rodney. While, going through trail they explained that the fingerprint on the gun matched my brother. But, I knew that was impossible. We always question them to do another test but they ignore us every time. I believe it’s funny how the court systems lock poor innocent people up. My brother is in there surviving time for something he had nothing to do with. Till this day we are still trying to get his case back on trail so we can retest the fingerprint on the gun again. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the story A Lesson Before Dying, I feel sorry for Jefferson a young black man that was in a situation at the wrong place at the wrong time just like my brother Rodney. They are both in the system surviving time and will never walk foot outside of a jail yard ever again. It funny the system believes and does what they want to do and thinks it alright. But, in my brother case they will not win this battle. How to cite A Lesson Before Dying, Essay examples A Lesson Before Dying Free Essays Life in the South during the segregation brought torment to the black people in the community.   Racism was a way of life.   The white people owned the plantations and lived in big houses, while the blacks were their servants, subject to their whims and caprices. We will write a custom essay sample on A Lesson Before Dying or any similar topic only for you Order Now    In A Lesson Before Dying, the black man Jefferson was an innocent witness to a shooting that happened in a store. He was just there at the wrong time.   Being black, young and with little education, spelled his death.   He was soon sentenced to an execution without a lot of deliberation from an all-white jury.   He was jailed in a cell that was not fit for humans while waiting for the time his sentence will be carried out. During this time, Grant Wiggins, another African American male, visited him in prison and helped Jefferson realized some things about his life and what was about to happen to him.   The impact of the defense lawyer’s words about Jefferson as a hog, which was not capable of being intelligent and moral, was great.   As a result, the accused young man began to act like the animal.   Seeing this, some concerned characters thought of a way to make him face his death like a man. Jefferson wrote in his diary that he understood how his people, meaning the black in the community, view his life and death.   He knew how his fate affected them.   In understanding how his death would have a great impact on society, he knew that he should face his sentence with utmost dignity.   In order to show the white community that he is not a hog, as what his defense lawyer claimed, Jefferson must show them that he is not animal but a dignified person despite his color.   His noble actions would not only affect Jefferson but the entire black community.   He asked his friend Grant to assure his friends and family that he died without being scared.   That he died as a brave, strong man.   Before his sentence, Jefferson was like most young, black men.   He lived as a servant would, submissive and unthinking. When he got his sentence, he soon felt anger and deep resentment to how his life became so unfair, and even thought that God only favored the white people.   He stopped caring for himself, behaved like an animal, and generally moved in a stupefied manner. After he met grant, Jefferson started writing in a diary.   In his diary, Jefferson began to wonder about the other prisoners.   He asked why the poor people, who are mostly black, suffered more that the rich, white community. He thought a lot about what Grant told him of his being better than an animal, like how the white people think of him.   He wanted to believe this and wanted to be shown some proof that he was indeed a person with rights who could make positive contribution to the community.   By beginning to ask and think, Jefferson realized that he had made little expectations and goals for himself. When he began these musings and writings, Jefferson’s self-worth gradually returned and he started to appreciate and be grateful for his family and friends. He then became thoughtful and brave.   He realized that being a man means knowing how to reciprocate care and affection.   Jefferson also realized that he wanted more respect, and that he can also improved his lot by learning how to ask for it.   In the end, Jefferson shed his defeatist attitude and earned the respect of many by facing his death like a man with courage and dignity intact. Work Cited Gaines, Ernest J. â€Å"A Lesson Before Dying.† SparkNotes LLC. 3 December 2007 http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/lessonbefore/ How to cite A Lesson Before Dying, Papers