Stefanny Rodriguez on PhotoPeach
Literacy 4x4
A Lesson Before Dying
Death sentence for "hog"
Segregation in the south
Catholic School for children
Grant's respect his aunt
The town of Bayonne
Pecan Trees Down the Roads
Jefferson day of death
The "White Rabbit Bar"
Brother, Bear, and Grope
The death of Mr.Grope
Winter's load of wood
Grant Higgin's Mullato Teacher
Henri Pichot's Big House
Dr.Joseph's visit to school
Grant's love for Vivian
Death sentence for "hog"
Segregation in the south
Catholic School for children
Grant's respect his aunt
The town of Bayonne
Pecan Trees Down the Roads
Jefferson day of death
The "White Rabbit Bar"
Brother, Bear, and Grope
The death of Mr.Grope
Winter's load of wood
Grant Higgin's Mullato Teacher
Henri Pichot's Big House
Dr.Joseph's visit to school
Grant's love for Vivian
Week One
Character Analysis:
Jefferson is a unmature 21 year-old who gets blame for the murder of Mr.Grope. He never knows what to do when it comes to a serious problem.
Miss Emma is Jefferson's Godmother she is a tall, big-boned woman. She gets really upset when they call Jefferson a "hog". Miss Emma tries to do whatever she can to make sure that Jefferson dies like a man.
Tante Lou is Grant's aunt she is also a religious woman. She raised Grant and has been very disappointed by the way he acts.
Grant Wiggins is the narrator of the story. He is a strict elementary school professor that teaches at a church. He is a very stubborn man who doesn't seems like he want to help Jefferson, but his aunt convinces him to do so. He also doesnt like the way white people treat blacks.
Vivian is a teacher as well, she is also Grant's girlfriend. Vivian has two kids and still married, but is looking forward to a divorce with her current husband so she can be with Grant.
Chapter One
Grant, Jefferson, Tante Lou, and Miss Emma are at a court trial. A flashblack of an inccident takes place at "The White Rabbit Bar" in which the owner of the bar has been killed. Before the inccident happended Brother and Bear offered Jefferson a ride and asked him if he had any money. They all walked into the bar, Bear asked Mr.Grope for a bottle of Apple White. Brother and Bear didnt have any money on them, therefore they told Old Grope that they will pay him later but Mr.Grope said no. They intended to rob him and later they shoot him with a revolver. Jefferson hurried to see if Old Grope was dead he was only alive for a few second and died quick. Jefferson didn't know if he should use call someone or just run. Later on he took a shot of whiskey and some money from the cash register, since there was nobody around. The defense argued that Jefferson was innocent and that he just happened to be there at the wrong place, at the wrong time. Grant argued against the jury given them many reasons why he shouldn't be gulity, by saying that Jefferson was not intelligent, that he was a boy not yet a man, and that if they take him away from his Godmother Emma that there will be no reason for her to live. The jury later on gave their decision, they declared him guilty and gave him death by electrocution. The Governor was the one that would set the date.
Chapter Two
Miss Emma is waiting on Grant at the kitchen table even though Grant didn't want to see her. Grant was avoiding her and tried to sneak out of the house, but his aunt came into his room and forced him to talk to Miss Emma. The only thing that Miss Emma had in mind was when they called Jefferson a "hog." She told Grant that "she didn't want them to kill no hog, she wanted a man to go into that chair , on his own two feet." Grant got up of his chair and wanted to leave, but his aunt didn't allow him to do so. He settled back in the chair and continued talking to Miss Emma. He had told her that he was just a teacher, that he only teach what the white folks told him to teach, which was writing reading, and rithmetic. That they never told him how to keep a black boy out of trouble. Miss Emma and Tante Lou wanted Grant to take them to see Henri Pichot so that he would have the right to visit Jefferson. Grant decided to take them only because his aunt convince him to do so.
Chapter Three
Grant drove into Henri Pichot's gate and opened the door for Tante Lou and Miss Emma. Grant followed them into the inner yard, up the stairs to the back door. The maid opened the door for them and went to inform Mr.Henri that Miss Emma wanted to talk to him, even though he had visit. Miss Emma had worked for the Pichot's generation for many years as a cook. His aunt also worked for them as well. Henri finally came to talk to Miss Emma to ask her what she wanted. She only wanted one thing and that one thing was for Henri Pichot to talk to the sheriff so that Grant can come visit Jefferson. Miss Emma insisted over and over again until Mr.Henri said yes. Mr.Henri told her that he was going to talk to him whenever he sees him.
Chapter Four
Grant took his aunt and Miss Emma back to the quarter. He then left to go to Bayonne. Bayonne was a small town of about six thousand people. Made of three thousand five hundred whites and two thousand five hundred colored. The courthouse was there and so was the jail. The church and elementary schools for the whites were located uptown, and the church and elementary schools for the colored were located down town. Bayonne's major industries were a cement plant, a sawmill and a slaughterhouse, mostly of hogs. The only main street ran along the St.Charles River. There were few deparment stores like the bank, two or three dentists, doctors, and attorneys' offices. Grant went into the Rainbow Club for a drink and something to eat. Joe Claiborne was the owner of the Rainbow Club ran the bar while his wife Thelma ran the cafe. He wanted his lover Vivian to come meet him at the cafe. Vivian left her kids with a good friend of her name Dora and came into the cafe to meet Grant.They went an sat on a far away table so that they could be alone. Grant asked Vivian if she wanted to run away with him, she said no because she was committed. After the divorce she would do whatever he wants. A record of Blues was playing and Grant and Vivian got up to dance. As they were dancing Grant told Vivian about what happened to Jefferson durig the court trial. The news made her sad, she wanted Grant to go to the next trial. To do it for the both of them and not for her, she told him that she will be there. They planned to go to Baton Rouge on a friday, they touched their drinks and left.
Chapter Five
Grant returns to his school in church in which he teaches primer to six grade. The students sat on benches, the church had two boards, and the only ventilation there was the windows. He teaches school for five and a half months, from late October to the middle of April. Which was the only time that the children were not needed in the field. The third and fourth graders would go to the back of the church. The third-graders would do arithmetic on one of the boards. The fourth graders would write sentences on the other board. Every little thing was irritating the professor. He slammed one of his students hard across the butt for counting with his fingers and wasting chalk. On the other board he got mad at a girl for writing slanted sentences so he made her write six simple sentences in straight lines. Most of his students knew the mood he was in and had their heads in their book. Except one of the first graders, which was playing with a bug on the sleeve of his sweater. He told the the boy to take that thing outside. The boy left crying, got rid of the bug and then sat down. He talk to them about Jefferson and how he only wanted to do is make them responsible young men and young ladies. Later on Mr.Farrell came and look for professor Grant. Mr.Farrell was the yardman and handy man of Henri Pichot. He came to tell Grant that Mr.Henry wanted to see him but that he didn't tell him for what.
Chapter Six
Jefferson is a unmature 21 year-old who gets blame for the murder of Mr.Grope. He never knows what to do when it comes to a serious problem.
Miss Emma is Jefferson's Godmother she is a tall, big-boned woman. She gets really upset when they call Jefferson a "hog". Miss Emma tries to do whatever she can to make sure that Jefferson dies like a man.
Tante Lou is Grant's aunt she is also a religious woman. She raised Grant and has been very disappointed by the way he acts.
Grant Wiggins is the narrator of the story. He is a strict elementary school professor that teaches at a church. He is a very stubborn man who doesn't seems like he want to help Jefferson, but his aunt convinces him to do so. He also doesnt like the way white people treat blacks.
Vivian is a teacher as well, she is also Grant's girlfriend. Vivian has two kids and still married, but is looking forward to a divorce with her current husband so she can be with Grant.
Chapter One
Grant, Jefferson, Tante Lou, and Miss Emma are at a court trial. A flashblack of an inccident takes place at "The White Rabbit Bar" in which the owner of the bar has been killed. Before the inccident happended Brother and Bear offered Jefferson a ride and asked him if he had any money. They all walked into the bar, Bear asked Mr.Grope for a bottle of Apple White. Brother and Bear didnt have any money on them, therefore they told Old Grope that they will pay him later but Mr.Grope said no. They intended to rob him and later they shoot him with a revolver. Jefferson hurried to see if Old Grope was dead he was only alive for a few second and died quick. Jefferson didn't know if he should use call someone or just run. Later on he took a shot of whiskey and some money from the cash register, since there was nobody around. The defense argued that Jefferson was innocent and that he just happened to be there at the wrong place, at the wrong time. Grant argued against the jury given them many reasons why he shouldn't be gulity, by saying that Jefferson was not intelligent, that he was a boy not yet a man, and that if they take him away from his Godmother Emma that there will be no reason for her to live. The jury later on gave their decision, they declared him guilty and gave him death by electrocution. The Governor was the one that would set the date.
Chapter Two
Miss Emma is waiting on Grant at the kitchen table even though Grant didn't want to see her. Grant was avoiding her and tried to sneak out of the house, but his aunt came into his room and forced him to talk to Miss Emma. The only thing that Miss Emma had in mind was when they called Jefferson a "hog." She told Grant that "she didn't want them to kill no hog, she wanted a man to go into that chair , on his own two feet." Grant got up of his chair and wanted to leave, but his aunt didn't allow him to do so. He settled back in the chair and continued talking to Miss Emma. He had told her that he was just a teacher, that he only teach what the white folks told him to teach, which was writing reading, and rithmetic. That they never told him how to keep a black boy out of trouble. Miss Emma and Tante Lou wanted Grant to take them to see Henri Pichot so that he would have the right to visit Jefferson. Grant decided to take them only because his aunt convince him to do so.
Chapter Three
Grant drove into Henri Pichot's gate and opened the door for Tante Lou and Miss Emma. Grant followed them into the inner yard, up the stairs to the back door. The maid opened the door for them and went to inform Mr.Henri that Miss Emma wanted to talk to him, even though he had visit. Miss Emma had worked for the Pichot's generation for many years as a cook. His aunt also worked for them as well. Henri finally came to talk to Miss Emma to ask her what she wanted. She only wanted one thing and that one thing was for Henri Pichot to talk to the sheriff so that Grant can come visit Jefferson. Miss Emma insisted over and over again until Mr.Henri said yes. Mr.Henri told her that he was going to talk to him whenever he sees him.
Chapter Four
Grant took his aunt and Miss Emma back to the quarter. He then left to go to Bayonne. Bayonne was a small town of about six thousand people. Made of three thousand five hundred whites and two thousand five hundred colored. The courthouse was there and so was the jail. The church and elementary schools for the whites were located uptown, and the church and elementary schools for the colored were located down town. Bayonne's major industries were a cement plant, a sawmill and a slaughterhouse, mostly of hogs. The only main street ran along the St.Charles River. There were few deparment stores like the bank, two or three dentists, doctors, and attorneys' offices. Grant went into the Rainbow Club for a drink and something to eat. Joe Claiborne was the owner of the Rainbow Club ran the bar while his wife Thelma ran the cafe. He wanted his lover Vivian to come meet him at the cafe. Vivian left her kids with a good friend of her name Dora and came into the cafe to meet Grant.They went an sat on a far away table so that they could be alone. Grant asked Vivian if she wanted to run away with him, she said no because she was committed. After the divorce she would do whatever he wants. A record of Blues was playing and Grant and Vivian got up to dance. As they were dancing Grant told Vivian about what happened to Jefferson durig the court trial. The news made her sad, she wanted Grant to go to the next trial. To do it for the both of them and not for her, she told him that she will be there. They planned to go to Baton Rouge on a friday, they touched their drinks and left.
Chapter Five
Grant returns to his school in church in which he teaches primer to six grade. The students sat on benches, the church had two boards, and the only ventilation there was the windows. He teaches school for five and a half months, from late October to the middle of April. Which was the only time that the children were not needed in the field. The third and fourth graders would go to the back of the church. The third-graders would do arithmetic on one of the boards. The fourth graders would write sentences on the other board. Every little thing was irritating the professor. He slammed one of his students hard across the butt for counting with his fingers and wasting chalk. On the other board he got mad at a girl for writing slanted sentences so he made her write six simple sentences in straight lines. Most of his students knew the mood he was in and had their heads in their book. Except one of the first graders, which was playing with a bug on the sleeve of his sweater. He told the the boy to take that thing outside. The boy left crying, got rid of the bug and then sat down. He talk to them about Jefferson and how he only wanted to do is make them responsible young men and young ladies. Later on Mr.Farrell came and look for professor Grant. Mr.Farrell was the yardman and handy man of Henri Pichot. He came to tell Grant that Mr.Henry wanted to see him but that he didn't tell him for what.
Chapter Six
Novel Notes
- A Lesson Before Dying, Grant Wiggins
- Grant Wiggins
- Miss Emma- Jefferson's Godmother. Jefferson- a young boy that is being executed. Tante Lou- she is Grant's aunt. Vivian- she is Grant's Girlfriend.
- First Person Point Of View
- Bayonne, Louisiana, 1940's
- Serious, and sad
- Dr.Joseph told a little girl name Gloria to show him her hands, you assume that he is going to hit her hands but what he was trying to do was to see if her hands were clean.
- symbols (2 repeated objects or motifs, with brief explanation)
- theme (write a specific sentence about an issue or idea) explanation of title