A+Lesson+Before+Dying+B2



A Lesson Before Dying This book was AWESOME! It was a very religous book, but the main chaarcter in the story has little to no faith. How ironic right?? Throughout the whole book I never really under why the man in the courtroom referring to Jefferson as a "hog" caused so much conflict. As I read further in the book. I started to understand why Mrs. Emma wanted Grant to teach Jefferson to be a man. She had already accepted the fact that Jefferson was going to get the death penalty, but she wanted him to die a man with dignity and respect and not just remembered as a "hog". -Chelsea Spruill

A Lesson Before Dying
This book is actually pretty good. In the beginning of the year, I would never really read a book like this because the language is a little bit hard to understand sometimes, but it started growing on me when we read “Their Eyes Were Watching God”. During the first chapter I didn’t get it because I thought Jefferson was the main character. During the trial, it seemed like the jury were brainwashed because Mr. Grope never shot at him. It just proved that racism huge during that time period, where people would sentence someone to death even if they think he’s innocent. I really didn’t like it when Miss Emma and Grant FINALLY were able to see Jefferson in jail and when they got there, he wouldn’t even acknowledge them. I know I would’ve gotten mad at him. I don’t really get the whole relationship with Vivian and Grant. They didn’t really tell how they met or why it’s taking so long for her to get divorced. Also, if Grant didn’t like New Orleans, why did he come back from California if he knew Vivian was still married? -Ricky Trujillo  

   //**__A LESSON BEFORE DYING__**// By Ernest J. Gaines media type="youtube" key="TEsQA9rjrm0" width="155" height="128"

__ I thought the book was really good and but took me some time to really understand the book. Certainly, not the easiest book i've ever read but it was intriguing none the less. I especially liked the first chapter and how I he recalled the event at the bar and how a shootout started because of a free drink. Of course it took me some time to understand it and it was a flash back. That’s probable one of the harder thong about reading this book was depicting the difference between the current story and flash back. __ -Dane Schmidt

 <span style="FONT-SIZE: 110%; COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); FONT-FAMILY: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif"><span style="DISPLAY: block; FONT-SIZE: 90%; COLOR: rgb(203,67,71); FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(250,250,250)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="DISPLAY: block; COLOR: rgb(213,32,32); FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: left">    <span style="DISPLAY: block; FONT-SIZE: 90%; COLOR: rgb(203,67,71); FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(250,250,250)"> Chapter 1 The first chapter took place in a coutroom on a friday. They were gathered for the verdict of 21 year old Jefferson who was accused of a shooting which took place in a grocery store. A drunk man named bear tried to purchase a drink which he didnt have enough money to buy. When Mr. Grope`,the storekeeper told him he couldnt purchase it because he didnt have enough money, Bear walked behind the counter as if he were goin to rob him. Soon after the storekeeper picked up a revolver and started shooting. There was another shooting from another direction also. when it was all over it was only one man left standing and that was jefferson. The question was did jefferson have anything to do withit and thats why they were in court. He was guilty of all charges and he punishment was death by electrcution.

Chapter 2 Grants talk with Miss Emma and Tante Lou was inevitable! No matter how hard he tried to get out of talking to them about Jefferson Tante Lou wouldnt let him. They're talk was about going to talk to Mr.Henri so he can have the right to visit jefferson. As much as he didnt want to go he had to because his auntie told him that if he ahdn't he wouldnt have a place to sleep that night.

Chapter 3 So afraid that her grandson was going to die a "hog" and not a man they went to see Mr.Henri about Grants visiting rights. Miss. Emma wanted Grant to be the one to teach Jefferson to be a man before he dies. Mr. Henri told her that he would talk to his brother about it however, he was very impatient with her.

Chapter 4 Grant went to the Rainbow Club in Bayonne after dropping off his aunt, Tante Lou. The Rainbow Club owner’s wife, Thelma was working the café. Grant ordered some dinner and while she prepared it, he went to the telephone in a corner and called Vivian so she could meet him at the place. After that, he went to Joe Claiborne, owner of the store who was working the bar, and ordered a drink. Vivian pulled up in her car and all the men at the bar looked around at her. Grant and Vivian went to a table, ordered a few drinks, and began talking. He wanted for them to leave the city and go somewhere new but Vivian refused because she had her kids and she was still legally married. Eventually, she said after the divorce they can go wherever Grant wants.

Chapter 5 Grant’s classroom is the church. He teaches primer to sixth grade. The students’ ages range from 6 years old to 13-14. In the classroom, Grant is very strict. He caught a student counting a simple multiplication problem with his hands and Grant yelled at the boy. Then a little girl laughed and Grant embarrassed her for having slanted sentences. He needed a break from his students so he went outside in yard for a few and when he came back, he found another one of his students playing with a bug. He smacked the boy in the back of his head with his ruler and ordered the boy to put to bug outside. Grant finally was over it and told the class about Jefferson and how he had to make him from a “hog” to a man. When class was over, Farrell Jarreau [yardman and handyman for Henri Pichot] stopped by to tell Grant he can “come up by five this evening”.

Chapter 6 When Grant stopped by Henri Pichot’s house, Inez [the maid] was working in the kitchen and asked Grant if he wanted anything but he didn’t. Inez said that Louis Rougon and Henri were in there making a bet on whether Grant can make Jefferson into a man or not. After waiting for about an hour, Edna Guidry came into the kitchen and talked to Grant. She said that the men were up in the library talking about Jefferson while he was waiting. She went back upstairs and no one new came into the kitchen until 7:15 when Sam Guidry, Henri Pichot, Louis Rougon, and another man came into the kitchen. Grant had been waiting for about two and a half hours! They finally started talking to Grant but it sounded like they were making fun of him and took their time to come downstairs so he can wait for a while. Grant wasn’t going to show that he was aggravated. Grant calmly talked to them about Jefferson and how he and Miss Emma wanted to visit him. Sam Guidry, the sheriff, finally told him he can see him anytime he liked.

Chapter 7 = =

Dr. Joseph, the superintendent, came to the school and came to Grant’s classroom. He made each grade of students stand up at a time and he called on random students to come to the front desk so he can inspect their hands and mouths. After he finished his inspection, he told Grant that he was doing a good job. But when Grant asked him for more supplies, he got upset and felt Grant was questioning him. Dr. Joseph said the kids can get a job at picking the pecan trees. He then drove away and Grant waved but he didn't wave back.

Chapter 8 The school finally got their first supply of wood for the winter. These 2 men were unloading the wood from the wagon. Grant told his students that the first person who looks outside would be in trouble. When they were done, one of the men, Henry Lewis, knocked on the door to tell Grant they were finished with the wood. So Grant let out his class early so the boys could chop the wood. He watched over what they were doing by the fence and he was reminiscing when he was doing the same thing when was that age. He then remembered HIS teacher, Matthew Antoine. He hated himself and he hated everyone else too. He also remembered going to visit him at his house and some of their discussions together about Hitler and the Ku Klux Klan. Then his teacher would say that nothing changes and that people would try to bring Grant down and Grant would have to move away.

Chapter 9 Grant left the school to pick up Miss Emma so they can go visit Jefferson in jail. He really did not want to go and he wanted to make that clear to Miss Emma and his aunt. When they got to the jailhouse, the deputy checked their things that they wanted to give to Jefferson. When he finished checking, he led them down to see Jefferson. When they walked by, the prisoners asked them for money or food. Grant and Miss Emma gave them what they had, which wasn’t very much. The deputy said he’d be back in an hour to unlock them and they have to leave. When Miss Emma started talking to Jefferson, Jefferson acted like they weren’t there. He just kept looking up at the ceiling of the cell and remained quiet. Miss Emma kept trying to talk to him but he would only mumble a few words. Then when it was time to go, Miss Emma started crying.

Chapter 12 Grant had finished talking to Jefferson. Grant didn’t want to tell Miss Emma that Jefferson was behaving like a hog because that would break her heart. So Grant went to the Rainbow Club to think up a little lie to tell Miss Emma. In the bar, Joe Claiborne and some other older men were acting out how Jackie Robinson played on the field. Then Grant went to see Vivian at the school. He wanted for him && her to go somewhere for the weekend but she was scared her ex-husband would take her babies away. Then they started flirting and playing around before having a drink with Peggy.

Chapter13 The beginning of this chapter took place in th church on determination Sunday. The previous friday Grant went to go visit jefferson in the cell, and took a plate that Mrs.Emma sent along with him. When he got there Jefferson wasn't doing so well. However Grant told his grandmother Mrs.Emma he was. I think he did that because he knew she was already having a hard tiime with it and he didnt want to make it worse. The reverand of the church was intarrigating Grant alot. In this chapter grant stated that he started not to believe in the teachings of the bible. Because he was told he should leave Bayonne for goo,he went to go visit his parent. He came back very shortly and started participating in the church and rebuilt his faith

Chapter 14 Grant finally bring Vivian to his house! This chapter was full of romance. Is Vivian Pregnant? they were discussing name for future children as if she were. Since the beginning of the novel Grant hated where he was living. Therefore he didnt want to raise his kids there.


 * DISCUSSIONS**

THE FIRST CHAPTER WAS KIND OF WEIRD AND ENTERTAINING AT HE SAME TIME HE ENDED UP BEING THE ONLY ONE DRINKING WHISKEY AT THE BAR AFTER THE SHOOTOUT. (THE SHOOTOUT STARTED OUT BECAUSE OF THE DRINK) - Dane Schmidt
 * Chapter 1-**

Re - I agree, the beginnig of the book was kind of wierd! but i liked it....even though Jefferson was actin dumbfounded the was that he was sayin he didnt remember what happend or how he got there, believed he is 100% innocent! Just at the wrong place at the wrong time, and with the wrong people. Bears drunkeness started it all! The jurry made a very valid point when they said that it had to be a reason mr. grope` the store owner only shot at brother and bear and not jefferson. however, their minds changed and he was found guilty of all charges against him. his punishment death by electrocution....... - Spruill

Re - Yeah, I think Jefferson was unfairly judged during the trial because just when I thought the jury was thinking he was innocent, they decide he’s not. I also think death by electrocution was not a good sentence because he didn’t even kill anyone. If anything, they should’ve just put him in jail. - Ricky Trujillo

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