Jefferson Essay, Research Paper

Jefferson Dies, But Is Not Defeated

Jefferson, a black adult male condemned to decease by the electric chair in the novel A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, is possibly the strongest character in Afro-american literature today. Jefferson is a brave immature black adult male that a jury of all white work forces inmates of a slaying he has non committed ; yet he still does non allow this licking destruct his personal character. Ernest Gaines portrays Jefferson this manner to exemplify the cardinal belief that world s lickings do non needfully take to his devastation. The writer uses such actions as Jefferson still basking outside amenitiess, demoing compassion towards others, and seeking to break himself before deceasing. These behaviours clearly show that although society may project Jefferson out as a black liquidator, he can still prevail slightly cognizing that he retains the qualities of a good homo being.

The first trait Jefferson demonstrates after his captivity is the fact that he still enjoys the outside amenitiess of little things such as a wireless and journal. The fact that Jefferson still wants these things shows his imprisonment does non get the better of him. In one of his last diary entries, Jefferson says, shef guiry ax me what I want for my super an I tol him I want nanan to cook me som okra an rice an som pok chop an a conbred an som claba ( 232 ) . Jefferson still enjoys his aunt s cookery, an outside pleasance from prison.

The fact that he can still take pleasance from these little outside things clearly demonstrates that Jefferson enjoys a little triumph over the universe that has locked him off.

The 2nd feature that shows society does non get the better of Jefferson is Jefferson s staying strong compassion for everyone around him. This shows that through licking, Jefferson remains a strong individual by non keeping any scores against his incarcerators

. A choice from his diary reads, This was the firs clip I cry when they lok that door bahind me the really firs clip I was cryin cause of the bok an the marble he giv me and do o the people that com to see me ( 231 ) . Jefferson displays tenderness, which is an obvious mark that Jefferson has non allow his imprisonment destroy him.

The concluding property Gaines uses in A Lesson Before Diing to demo Jefferson s deficiency of devastation is his seeking to break himself before deceasing. Jefferson does this by repeatedly seeing Grant Wiggins and Reverend Ambrose in prison before his executing. He ab initio refuses their aid, but finally gives in and recognize that their aid is really of import and indispensable to him going a better individual before he dies. Detecting yet another diary entry from Jefferson, Im sory I cry when you say you aint comin back tomoro im strong an reveren ambros gon be yer wit me you been good to me mr wigin cipher aint ne’er been that good to me an make me believe im sombody ( 232 ) . This transition has relevancy in the fact that it shows how much Jefferson cares about his visits from Grant Wiggins and Reverend Ambrose because they make him experience like a better adult male ; therefore demoing society does non get the better of Jefferson as a human being.

These three qualities of Ernest Gaines work A Lesson Before Diing are grounds that the universe can non destruct Jefferson. Jefferson is a enormously strong character that suffers many parturiencies throughout the novel, and finds a manner to get the better of all of them. He is one of the best illustrations in literature that a adult male can get the better of many lickings without devastation. Jefferson proves that every bit long as a adult male can still take comfort in things, show compassion for others, and better himself ; he will ne’er destruct as a human being. This is one of the most of import lessons to be learned from a literary character.

Plants Cited

Gaines, Ernest. A Lesson Before