A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines explores the life of an African American man named Jefferson who is falsely accused of murder and sentenced to death. During Jefferson's trial, his defense attorney compares him to a hog, making Jefferson believe that he is worthless. Jefferson's guardian, Miss Emma, does not want him to die thinking that he is less than a man, so she asks Grant Wiggins, a teacher and the narrator a of the story, to help Jefferson to realize that he is more than just a hog. Unexpectedly, Grant learns just as much from Jefferson as Jefferson learns from him.
"What justice would there be to take this life? Justice, gentlemen? Why, I would just as soon put a hog in the electric chair as this."
-Jefferson's Defense Attorney
-Jefferson's Defense Attorney
"I don't want them to kill no hog," she said. "I want a man to go to that chair, on his own two feet."
-Miss Emma
-Miss Emma
Grant Wiggins
“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?”
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Tante Lou
“You going back. You ain’t going to run away from this, Grant.”
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Jefferson
"Just a old hog they fattening up to kill for Christmas."
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