Lesson Before Dying By Grant Essay, Research Paper

In the novel A Lesson Before Dying, although Grant is an educated black adult male in

the epoch of a racialist society he has battles greater than most work forces of his

decent. I feel sorry for him because of his restrictions, even though I view him

as a coward. He can non interrupt free of his background and household. The three chief

female characters in the novel, Tante Lou, Miss Emma, and Vivian, restrict and

bound Grant & # 8217 ; s picks. Grant realizes that freedom means go forthing his little town

and making a new life, yet each adult female holds a concatenation that keeps him from his

fate and the right to be free. First, Tante Lou, his aunt holds Grant from

his dreams by declining to allow him travel his ain manner. Tante Lou wants Grant to remain

at place with her and take attention of her. But, in the clip the novel takes topographic point,

it wasn & # 8217 ; t common for immature work forces stay with their seniors and assist out, particularly

when Grant has a college grade and can carry through so much. Tante Lou took

advantage of this in any agencies necessary, utilizing the fact that Grant is household

and in kernel owes it to her to remain and assist out. We can see this on page 14

when Tante Lou forces Grant to speak to Mr. Henri about seeing Jefferson.

“ You are traveling up at that place with us Grant, or you will non kip in this house

tonight. ” Tante Lou denies Knodt 2 Grant picks that work forces his age have.

Following, Miss Emma, who doesn & # 8217 ; Ts have a household relation to Grant, besides restricts his

picks in life. Miss Emma plays an of import function in the novel by being

Jefferson & # 8217 ; s godmother, and in a conscientious state of affairs. She asks Grant in a manner

that gives him no existent picks to learn Jefferson to be a adult male. Leaning on her

ability to carry, and utilizing her power as an extended friend to Tante Lou she

can fundamentally state Grant what

to make and gets off with it. She knew Grant did

non desire to travel and learn Jefferson, but still went in front with it. “ Driving

along the St. Charles River I could experience Emma non looking at me, non looking at

anything..just believing. Like my Aunt she knew how much I hated all of

this. “ ( p.68 ) Miss Emma hence forces Grant to make affairs that she wants,

non what Grant thinks he is capable of making. Third, Vivian, the love of his

life, is besides restricting Grant & # 8217 ; s ability to do determinations based purely on his

ain purpose. She understands Grant & # 8217 ; s need to go forth and see new things, but has

limitations in her life that will non let her to assist Grant get down a new

being. Vivian is in the center of a drawn out divorce and needs to see it

through so she can keep detention of her kids. We see an illustration of this

on page 93. “ Let & # 8217 ; s travel someplace and pass the dark. Baton Rouge, New

Orleans- anyplace, Grant asks. I can & # 8217 ; T, My Babies. ” This sentence entirely

describes the convulsion she is traveling through with her ain threatening facets and

how it effects Grant & # 8217 ; s picks. I think the book is an challenging novel and

surfaced of import issues dealt with in society. Religion, racism, and many

other articles of today are merely a few. But, Grant is a complex character and

can be depicted exhaustively. His instruction holds him to a new Knodt3 criterion non

expected of people back so, but withholds him from making his dreams. He

can non happen what he is looking for in this little town that A Lesson Before Diing

takes topographic point in. I feel sorry for him until Jefferson Teachs him other factors

involved to being a existent and distinguishable sort of adult male. He evolves dramatically. But,

his demand to be free is still restrained by Tante Lou, Miss Emma, and Vivian in

different, yet of import ways.