Essay --

The Racist atmosphere in the South back in the 1920s was exceptionally oppressive. Due to that racist atmosphere many problems arose. In Ernest J. Gainess A Lesson Before Dying, the both protagonists self-perceptions atomic number 18 affected by the racist atmosphere. Jeffersons self-perception is affected by the racist atmosphere. In chapter One, Jeffersons defense lawyer tries to win the jury by claiming that Jefferson has diminished capacity to reason. He tries to sink the jurys heart and mind by implying it would be a cruel act to kill a man whose intelligence and honorable are no greater than those of a hog. The attorney expresses the ugly belief, held by many Southern whites, that blacks are somewhat beneath whites. Jefferson becomes disturbed by the idea and begins acting equivalent a hog, angrily refusing to talk and loss through his food like a hog. Miss Emma realizes the impact the attorneys words have on Jefferson and makes it her goal to ensure Jeffe rson dies like a man not like an animal. When Jefferson decides to die with dignity, he shakes off the spiteful stereotypes placed on him by whites. Gentlemen of the jury, look at this----this----this boy. I almost said a man, entirely I cant say man. Oh sure, he has reached the age of twenty-one, when we, civilized men, consider the male species has reached manhood, but would you call this---this---this a man? No, not I,(Gaines, 7). This quote reveals how steady Jeffersons defense attorney from the start had a stereotype judgment held by many Southern whites, a negative opinion that blacks are inferior to whites. From that point on Grants mission in the book is to show Jeffersons hope, dignity, and self-respect, and to prove to whites and blacks are alike, that i... ...white people because they call up youre inferior to them. That quotes clearly reveal and describes why Jefferson and Grant were in the situation that they were in. It is unquestionably true that the real individuality, the real human spirit can be revealed in extreme situations, when the human look is at stake. This work represents an attempt to show that each individual has an opportunity to diverseness his/her life completely, to make it really humanistic and do something good up to now if it is the last thing he/she can do in his/her life. A Lesson Before Dying suggest the audience to reevaluate its views on life and realize that everything may be changed. At the same time, it is never novel to change the life for better and reveal positive traits of character or in time commit some heroic or humanistic acts even if it threatens to end the entire life of the individual.