A Lesson Before Dying
By Ernest Gaines
Themes:
As we read ALBD, Gaines will be trying to teach us the following lessons:
1. Every human being deserves to be valued and respected.
2. Having the tools to communicate effectively (literary/education) can increase the
following: self-esteem, self-awareness, social awareness, social status.
3. Prejudice of any kind has damaging effects on individuals and society.
4. Every person is in need of redemption of some kind.
Subsearch Topics (use to develop themes)
Be on the “look-out” for reference to any of the following topics.
This SubSearching will deepen and strengthen your understanding of the novel as a whole.

















Circle/define vocabulary you are not familiar with
Characters/characterization (char. description and development)
Setting/Time Period/Historical References
Dehumanizing actions toward characters
o Derogatory language
o Derogatory behavior
Eyes/Looking at others
Education/Literacy
Code of Conduct (implied rules) between blacks/whites
Animal References
Death Penalty
Love
Redemption/Redeeming/Saving
Pride
Community values (white and black)
Moral Obligation to self, to others
Heroes
Allusions (Jackie Robinson, Joe Louis, David vs. Goliath, James Joyce’s Dubliners,
Easter season, mulatto, “cross to bear,” Frederick Douglass, Abe Lincoln, Booker T.
Washington)
Literary devices (metaphor, symbolism, foreshadowing, irony, simile, imagery,
dialect)
Characters
Grant Wiggins
Miss Emma
Tante Lou
Jefferson
Vivian
Henri Pinchot
Paul Bonin
Inez Lane
Reverend Ambrose
Sheriff Guidry
Questions
Chapters 1-5
1. What point of view is the story told in?
2. What simile is used to describe godmother? What deeper meaning does it add to her character?
3. How is Jefferson described in the court? What is Jefferson on trial for?
4. What is Jefferson’s internal conflict at the crime scene?
5. How does the prosecutor describe the crime/Jefferson? How does Jefferson’s defense attorney describe
him and the crime?
Prosecutor:
Defense attorney:
6. What is the verdict in the case?
7. Describe Miss Emma. What is her plea to Grant Wiggins? What is Grant’s response?
8. What message does Grant’s aunt send him when he “can feel her eyes on the back of his neck”?
9. Note character/setting descriptions in chapter 3. How does Grant feel about going to Henri Pinchot’s?
10. What is the code of conduct (implied rules) between Henri and Grant?
11. Why does Grant want to get out of Bayonne?
12. Describe the school/resources that Grant works at.
13. Why is Grant so hard on the students when he is trying to teach them about simple sentences? Literal
answer? Significant answer?
14. Why does Grant tell the kids about Jefferson?
Chapters 6-10
1. What are the men at Henri Pichot’s betting on?
2. Inference time!! Why do the men make Grant wait when they requested his presence in the first place?
3. The men don’t think Jefferson should die with dignity just as they don’t think Grant has a right to
____________________________.
4. How does the superintendent treat Grant and his students? Why does he act this way? How is he trying
to make Grant and his students feel? How could this affect the students’ self-concept?
5. What other responsibilities are placed on Grant as a teacher that have nothing to do with educating
children (according to the superintendent)?
6. Note the imagery used to describe Henry Lewis.
7. What is a mulatto? What is Matthew Antione’s opinion of being classified as such? How is there a
hierarchy even within the same race?
8. How is the courthouse described? The jail?
9. What does Miss Emma bring for Jefferson? How does he respond?
10. Note the many references to eyes in chapter nine. Any time something is repeated, it is important!!
What is the deeper significance of “eyes” in this chapter?
11. Why did Miss Emma “pretend” to be sick so that Grant would have to visit Jefferson alone?
12. Why does Grant feel humiliated when he has to go visit Jefferson at the jail?
Chapters 11-15
1. How does the sheriff treat Grant? How does this compare to the superintendent?
2. How does Jefferson see himself? Who put this idea in his head?
3. Why does Grant tell Jefferson that he is not going to tell Miss Emma how he acted in the cell when
Grant brought him the food?
4. Why is Grant going to lie to Miss Emma?
5. Note the allusions in chapter 12. Write down as many outside references (literature, history, Bible, etc.)
as you can identify.
6. What is the significance of the story from Dubliners?
7. What is the significance of Grant’s aunt not looking at him anymore ever since Grant stopped going to
church? What is Reverend Ambrose’s reaction to Grant?
8. At the end of chapter thirteen, note the reason for Grant’s change. Can you relate his feelings to your
own life?
9. Note the description of the house in the quarter.
10. Why would people be opposed to Vivian’s marriage to her first husband?
11. How does Vivian act towards Grant’s aunt? How is this similar to how Grant acts towards the sheriff at
the jail?
Chapters 16-20
1. For the first time, Miss Emma gets to see Jefferson acting out. What is her response?
2. Jefferson has a “no care” attitude about life. What is Grant’s response when he asks when Grant is
going to die?
3. What is Miss Emma’s request for when they go to see Jefferson again? Why does she make this
request?
4. What does Jefferson ask Grant concerning Jesus?
5. What is Grant’s explanation of a moral obligation? What is the connection to Jefferson’s life?
6. At the end of chapter eighteen Vivian says that “something” is changing—what is?
7. Note who comes to the Christmas program. What is the symbolism of the scenery (especially the
sheet)?
8. Describe the Christmas program.
9. When is Jefferson’s execution set for? Why is it set on this day? How does this relate to what Jefferson
had asked Grant in an earlier chapter.
10. What does Grant note about the sentencing of the death penalty? What is his tone?
Chapter 21-25
1. The end of chapter 21 is very important! What is Grant’s explanation to Vivian concerning
why Miss Emma requested him to visit Jefferson before he dies? What does he say about the past and
how he can change it for Jefferson? What does he say about broken homes/absent male figures?
2. Who is the only jail guard that looks Grant in the eyes? Why?
3. How has Jefferson changed since the beginning of the novel?
4. What does Jefferson want for his last meal? Why?
5. What does Jefferson remember about the day the crime was committed? How do choices affect our
lives?
6. What does Grant promise to bring to Jefferson?
7. On page 174, what is the tone of the woman in the store when she says “Here.”?
8. How do we know that Jefferson appreciates the radio?
9. What is Grant’s response to Reverend Ambrose concerning talking more to Jefferson about religion?
10. What does Grant suggest to Jefferson to help him remember what he wants to talk to Grant about?
11. What breakthrough does Jefferson make at the end of chapter twenty-four?
12. How is the new guard different from Paul?
13. What is Grant’s explanation for what a hero is? What is your definition of a hero? Why doesn’t Grant
feel he is a hero? What does he say about the treatment of African Americans?
14. What “myth” does Grant talk to Jefferson about concerning whites? How can Jefferson prove this myth
wrong? What does this have to do with identity/dignity?
15. In the nature vs. nurture debate, what side would Grant be on? Why?
16. Why is the minister envious of Grant?
17. When Grant is at the Rainbow Club, what does he overhear the mulattos talking about? What does he
say about the two men? Why would Grant fight with the men when he did not even want to help
Jefferson in the first place?
Chapters 26-31
1. Why didn’t Grant want to walk away from the fight?
2. Why does the Reverend feel Grant does not really know anything even though he has had a formal
education?
3. At the end of chapter twenty seven summarize the reverend’s response to Grant.
4. What is Jefferson’s dream? How does he compare his death to Jesus?
5. What does Grant point out to Jefferson concerning what he has to give up?
6. What is Jefferson’ “cross to bear”?
7. Note the dialect of chapter 29 (Jefferson’s diary).
8. What is in the back of he mysterious truck that comes into town? How do the people respond? Who are
they worried about hearing the machine?
9. People seem more concerned with ___________________________ than ___________________ in
regards to the electric chair.
10. What does Jefferson want done with his possessions?
11. Why weren’t any African Americans working on the day of Jefferson’s execution?
12. Why does Grant feel Jefferson is much braver than him?
13. How does Grant feel about the justice system? He says, “I am a slave.” What is he a slave to?
14. What larger idea might the butterfly symbolize? Explain.
15. Note how everyone in the execution room had each other to lean on while Jefferson walked alone.
What is the significance of this detail? Explain.
16. What does Paul say he noticed in Jefferson? How is Paul different from the other officers?
17. At the end of the novel, what “lessons” has Grant learned? How has he changed?
18. What “lessons” has Jefferson learned? How has he changed?