A Lesson Before Dying : A Novel

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Summary: It's a good book.
Review: There was a black male (Jefferson) who live in Cajun community, who was convicted for robbing and murder three male in 1940's. The black male did not killed three man but he was there at the liquor store at that time. At the worng time at the worng night. He was to sentenced to death by electrocution. While he was in jail, his grandma Miss Emma try her very best to help him go though that. Grant Wiggins is one of Miss Emma's friend. Grant have try to help him but he having a hard time thinking if he should stay or leave the town. He was told by Miss Emma to go visit Jefferson when he do not want to go see him. Miss Emma want Grant to teach Jefferson to know that he is a man and will die like a man before he die.

Rating:
Summary: powerful story !!!!!
Review: Lesson Before Dying is a story that tells about many prejudices about blacks in 1940s. The author uses Jefferson as a black character who is low life, not educated, and stupid. So that when Grant wants to help Jefferson to know he is a man not a hog, people around him ( white people ) are careless about the imporants to Jefferson and to his family. In fact, the only reason that is it a powerful story is that thinking self as a color person actually can take you insidethe story. So you can feel very touching and warming in the heart of yours.

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Summary: I like human-like people in the book.
Review: I cried sometimes while I was reading the book because the charactors' actions and feelings always made me think what it ment why he/she did this. Then eventually I cried by their warm inside and harets. I want to read the author's other books, too.

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Summary: Gaines gives us a look at how unfairly blacks were treated.
Review: I haven't finished the book at this point, but so far I have thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to finish it. This is the first book from Gaines that I have read and I'm sure that it will not be the last. I encourage everyone to read this book.

Rating:
Summary: A book which gives us a lot of themes
Review: It's quite boring, especially for students. I had tried to stop reading it but at the end of the story , the situation changed and attract me to continue reading. The part that attract me the most should be the period of time before the black young person died. I could experience how sad was the author .Anyway, I recommend the senior high school students to read it .

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Excellent!!!!!
Review: As I read through the book, I admit I did not like the book. As I lay the book back on my shelf for one last time, I realized the morale of the story. This book was not a comprehension book where you had to read between the lines to understand it. That 14 yr old and the 15 yr old that made the reviews on this book as being boring and not liking it was just utterly stupid. Sure, maybe the book is for older people, but only mature people could really appreciate it. I think these KIDS just wanted to see their name and comments on the internet. This is all coming form a 19 yr old in college, and is mature enough to write a review. my favorite part of the book is where the Jefferson walks to the electric chair a MAN not a HOG. In other words, make the best of a bad situation.

Rating:
Summary: Hog or man?
Review: A Lesson Before Dying by Earnest Gaines is an excelent book! It takes place in the 1940s in a small town in Louisiana. A young black boy is convicted of shooting a killing a white store owner. He in fact did not do this; he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. His lawyer tried to get Jefferson off by telling the all white jurors that Jefferson could not think to do anything like that because he was not a man, he was a hog. Once the jurors convicted Jefferon and senteced him to die by exuction, Jefferson's nanna asked Grant for help. Grant was the plantation teacher for all the children living on the plantation. Grant was from the plantatation and moved back with his aunt when he graduated from college. Ms. Emma (Jefferson's nanna) asked Grant to teach Jefferson to be a man. She did not want a hog walking to the death chair; she wanted a man to walk there. Grant goes to Jefferson out of respect to his aunt and Ms. Emma; he really does not want to go there at first. During Grant's visits the relaionship between Grant and Jefferson grows. Everyone wants Grant to visit Jefferson for differnt reasons. The reverand, Ms. Emma, his aunt, and even his girlfrind Vivan all have their own reasons. This book brings forth many social issues we still deal with today.

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Summary: An emotional story of one man's struggle in the 1940's South
Review: Grant Wiggins feels pulled between his roots in Southern Louisiana and the life he could have if he left. He's an educated black man who finds himself helping a young black boy walk to the electric chair like a man. At first he feels like he's been forced into helping Jefferson, the accused, but finds he learns more about life than he counted on. Life shouldn't be as cold and calculating as Grant believes and watching Jefferson face death shows him the other side. This book is emotionally riveted, but worth the read. It teaches one that human life is worth something no matter their race, religion, or culture. It is amazing how the times have changed in the world, yet in some places it still remains the same. This book will be a classic.

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Summary: A book that gives us many heroes.
Review: Ernest Gaines has written a book that encourages the reader to look deep within ourselves to see a different storyline. The book takes place in a time where racial segregation is still in place and there are many barriers that stand between the black and white communities. The characters each impart a piece of the hidden storyline, which is, what makes a hero ? Each does something to better another life, be it a simple task or an intense situation at a small cost to themselves. The characters themselves, do not take credit for the things they do. They don't see their efforts as a showcase, but rather rejoice in reaching a goal. Grant Wiggins talks to Jefferson on being a "hero". That scene is where I realized that all the characters were heroes, they each had a different goal and different reasons. I felt Gaines had given us the opportunity to see true heroes at work. I felt this book gives a reader a better insight, in which small tasks done to better another life, make heroes of more people than we realize. The self-sacrifice a hero endures, may be as small as a task done in a grudging manner to enduring an unhappy situation. This book was rich in characters and deep in meaning. Hopefully, as a reader, one can enjoy the "heroes" in this book. I did.

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Summary: A black boy wrongfully accused of a crime.
Review: A Lesson Before Dying takes place in the 1940s in a small town of Louisiana, and on a plantation not far from the town. Jefferson, a young black boy is accused of killing a white store owner. Jefferson just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but the jurors did not see it that way. His lawyer tried to explain to the jurors that Jefferson could not think of doing something like that shooting a store owner because he was not a man, he was a hog. After Jefferson was sentenced to death, his grandmother asked Grant (the plantation teacher) to visit Jefferson. She wanted Grant to teach Jefferson how to be a man because she wanted a man to walk to that chair. In the book the relaionship develops between Jefferson and Grant. This is a great book, and it gets you to think how we quick we are to judge people by how they look or where they are from.