Ernest Gaines’ novel, ‘A Lesson Before Dying’ examines the deeply rooted racial discrimination and bigotry residing in Bayonne, Louisiana, during the 1940s. At the end of the day, I believe it is a narrative concerning family ties, morality, and the innate decency which certain folks, regardless of skin color, possess....
Ernest Gaines’ novel, ‘A Lesson Before Dying’ examines the deeply rooted racial discrimination and bigotry residing in Bayonne, Louisiana, during the 1940s. At the end of the day, I believe it is a narrative concerning family ties, morality, and the innate decency which certain folks, regardless of skin color, possess. Miss Emma is introduced during the narrative as a woman who offers the spark that can help transform oppressive and inherently unfair systems. She is the one who makes it possible for Jeffereson, her godson and a man sentenced to death for the supposed murder of a white man, to die with dignity and as a man. Emma’s efforts do not receive enough credit as Grant is given most of the credit. While fighting for Jefferson’s human care, Miss Emma is faced with racism from opponents and opposition within her inner circle. She is prepared to face and defy bigotry with Tante Lou and the Reverend as her allies.
Initially introduced in chapter two, Miss Emma visits Tante Lou’s house to ask Grant to assist with the conversion of Jefferson into a man before his death. “I don’t want them to kill no hog…I want a man to get in that chair on his own two feet” (Gaines, 13). This will be one of many acts of resistance she would take against the racial oppression she and other racial minorities in Bayonne had faced. As Jefferson’s sentence was accepted by the community, she could have done nothing and waited for his death, but instead she chose to contradict the lawyer’s account. Grant, the nephew of Tante Lou, was enlisted to help develop Jefferson, as Miss Emma was committed to combating the stigma. This is also the first time we see the strength in her allies. Without the nagging pressure and coercion imposed on Grant by his aunt, Grant would not have accepted the opportunity to help, because at this early stage, he is not concerned with what the Bayonne is doing, and he wants to stay out of situations that do not directly affect him. We can see two female’s unyielding companionship and loyalty to one another.
She demonstrates strength and courage in chapter three when she asks Pichot for a favor, despite the fact that she is aware that he will probably reject her. Because she has worked for him and cared for his household for decades, she has a great deal of power over him. “All I’m asking you talk to the sheriff for me. I done done a lot for this family over the years” (Gaines, 21). This is the Jim Crow Era, when black people, especially black women, were treated as second-class citizens. It is unfathomable for a black woman and a white man to be equally represented in their prevailing racially biased society. Miss Emma does not want to be treated as equals to Pichot; rather, she desires to be compensated for her decades of employment. This is a pivotal scene in the novel because it shows Miss Emma fighting the inferior identification that Jim Crow instilled in racial minorities. It was yet another manner she stood up to the racial oppression that had erupted in Bayonne. When Pichot refused to help, she might have easily backed down, but instead she held strong and made aware of her years of devotion to his household. That is her standing up to racism. Pichot was a staunch believer he was superior to anyone of color, but she opted to overlook this and risk it to save her godson from a tragic death exacted on him by the biased county of Bayonne. We witness Miss Emma and her ally, Tante Lou, once more. Both ladies, along with Grant, went to Pichot’s residence and demanded respect. Tante Lou may have chosen not to go because the godson was not hers and the situation did not explicitly affect her, but she appears to have done so out of compassion and respect for her companion. As minority women who help and cherish their families and communities, they exemplify their tenacity.
After going to visit Jefferson in Chapter 16, we discover that Miss Emma slapped him for his humiliating conduct of mimicking an animal. “You ain’t no hog, you hear me? …She slapped him”(Gaines, 122). This is a pitiable scenario seeing as Miss Emma once more sees Jefferson revert back to the animal label that the court and the lawyer had given him. She uses force on her godson to stir him from or revive him from the psychological condition he has permitted himself to be positioned in as a means of resistance to such behavior. In an effort to fight inequalities, violence can sometimes be required. Leaders such as Malcolm X and the Black Panther Party have advocated for civil liberty and respect through violence. She utilized violence on Jefferson in order to persuade him to counteract the effects of racism, and it is one of the forms she fought the effects of racism herself.
Miss Emma, Tante Lou, and Reverend Ambrose took a trip to the sheriff’s residence in Chapter 17 and requested that the sheriff’s wife request her husband for a larger cell for Jefferson so that they could all sit during their visits. By inquiring for a bigger area in which they could all sit, the team is cohesively defying the racial inequality they are challenged with. We see their bravery and opposition pay off in Chapter 18. Their plea is approved, and they will be given a larger space to accommodate them all. “This is go’n be his place, and this go’n be my place… That’s your place there, Lou, and that’s yours right there, Reverend Ambrose…Ain’t this much better” (Gaines, 136). They are demanding to be regarded with the basic courtesy that I genuinely think all human beings, irrespective of race or social position, are entitled to. Their plea for a room large enough to accommodate and seat each of them demonstrates that they are willing to be above mediocre treatment and are justifiably demanding civility. A seat signifies not only acceptance and recognition of one’s status, but also acceptance and recognition of one’s own humanity. Instructing anyone to stand in a place or position where they are already powerless, such as a prison, further dehumanizes them and takes away their dignity. Racial minorities were refused seats in eateries, train services, and public transport during the Jim Crow era. Folks like Rosa Parks, on the other hand, battled discriminatory treatment by refusing to surrender their seats and participating in other forms of resistance, such as sit-ins. It was how persons of color approached racial oppression, so Miss Emma and her allies demanding a seat in such a lowly position demonstrates great opposition. The trio displayed their willingness to go to great lengths to express their support, regard, and boldness for each other.
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