A Lesson Before Dying is set in the late 1940s in Bayonne, Louisiana. Jefferson, an uneducated black field worker, is wrongly accused of murder and robbery. His defense attorney argues that his client lacked intelligence and had little involvement in the murder, but he fails to convince the all-white jury. As a result, Jefferson is sentenced to die by electrocution. A Lesson Before Dying explores human dignity and the consequences of racism, prejudice, and death. The novel also reflects the importance of love, redemption, and community values. In addition, the novel addresses social dynamics, religious beliefs, and the death penalty. The novel challenges students to examine their own lives. A Lesson Before Dying is set in the late 1940s, a time when segregation was still a reality. Jefferson’s jail still had separate cells for African-American inmates and separate restrooms for black visitors. A Lesson Before Dying is a book of intense emotions. In A Lesson Before Dying, Grant Wiggins’ student Jefferson is confronted with the bitter history of racism. He is treated unfairly and disenfranchised. His friends and family are shushed into the kitchen, where they have to wait until Jefferson is summoned. The whites also expect Grant Wiggins to act a certain way because he is black. They expect him to speak in a certain way, and he does not meet them eye to eye.
What is the setting of a lesson before dying?
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What is the setting of a lesson before dying?. (2022, Oct 14). Retrieved from
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