Data Sheet – English 1 Honors Block: 1AB Date: 4/27/13
Title:
A Lesson Before Dying
Author:
Ernest J. Gaines
Genre:
Historical Fiction
Title Associations or Predictions:
Given the title, A Lesson Before Dying, we can infer and predict that a character in the book will die. Also, we can predict that before they die, they will learn something, probably a valuable lesson
Biographical Information about the author:
Ernest J. Gaines was born in Oscar, Louisiana in 1933. He was born and raised on a plantation. He had six brothers and sisters and they were taken care of by his great aunt, Augusteen Jefferson. Him and his siblings were sent to labor alongside their elders in the fields. He served in the U.S. Army, but then
He goes over and tells them to stop talking. They get into a fight and Grant eventually gets knocked unconscious by the bartender because he wouldn’t stop fighting. He wakes up at Vivian’s place. They have a deep conversation about their relationship and there is some fighting. Reverend Ambrose talks to Grant about Jefferson needing to have God with him and ends up telling Grant that lying is a major part of life and everyone has to do it to be successful. The next visit to the jail, Grant asks Jefferson how the notebook has been going and they talk about their religious views. The next chapter is what is written in Jefferson’s journal. On the mornign of his execution, Jefferson wakes up (he really didn’t sleep) to see the sunrise and tells Paul to give the Journal to Grant for him to read. Grant has all of his students kneel from twelve to the execution, however long that may be.
Resolution:
Grant spreads it around that he will not be attending the execution, but but while Paul is shaving Jefferson for the electric chair, he tells them that he will be there. Jefferson gets executed and everyone can hear the electric chair go off. After the execution Paul goes to Grant’s school and gives the journal to him. Paul tells Grant how much he appreciates him and that Jefferson was the strongest person in the room at the execution. Grant walksback inside the schoolhouse and starts to cry. At the end of the story, both Jefferson and