The hero concept in Western literature has remained largely unchanged for centuries since Ancient Greece. One should be strong, brave, noble, and willing to take the challenges no one else dares to take. Perseus, King Arthur, and Superman have a lot in common, most notably the fact that they were destined for greatness. Ernest J. Gaines challenges this traditional Western concept in his work. In A Lesson Before Dying, he tells a powerful story of the transformation of a wrongfully sentenced to death young black man. In the first chapters, Jefferson is portrayed as a miserable individual with no dignity, whom whites treat like an animal. Grant Wiggins, a local teacher, visits Jefferson in prison regularly, trying to instill self-respect and self-awareness in him. While initially reluctant to help, Grant eventually realizes that this case could become a turning point in the history of racial oppression in Bayonne. Jefferson’s transformation from a “hog” into a dignified human being inspires his community and changes their lives. Hence, rather than being born a hero, he becomes one through his actions and devotion to others.
To analyze Jefferson’s transformation, one should define Gaines’ idea of a hero. In one of the last conversations between them, Grant states that he believes Jefferson could become one (Gaines, 1993). Grant claims that a hero “would do anything for the people he loves, because he knows it would make their lives better”(Gaines, 1993, p. 157). Overall, for Gaines, a hero is someone who gives to others without necessarily getting anything in exchange. Folks (1999) notes that in A Lesson Before Dying, “heroism arises out of the hero’s sense of relationship to the community” (p. 269), and “the act of heroism is collective” (p. 269). Gaines shows the involvement of the community in Jefferson’s life through the small details. Vivian and Tante Lou continuously put pressure on Grant to visit Jefferson, and Thelma and Claiborne loan him money to buy the radio (Gaines, 1993). They know that Jefferson is on death row, and they are not getting anything in return, yet they have no hesitation in helping him.
It is crucial to examine how Jefferson’s attitude towards this concept of heroism changes throughout the story. In the first chapters, a white lawyer unsuccessfully tries to defend Jefferson, insisting that he is, in fact, not a human, but an inferior being, a hog (Gaines, 1993). Others treat him similarly, and eventually, by the time Grant meets him for the first time, Jefferson is completely convinced that he is an animal. He refuses to speak to Grant or his godmother and ignores the food she brings, making her cry (Gaines, 1993). In the conversations they have in chapters 17 and 18, Grant tries to appeal to Jefferson’s feelings for his godmother for the first time, but he fails (Gaines, 1993). Jefferson still self-identifies as a hog and refuses to accept the fact that he has moral obligations to his family and community (Gaines, 1993). He knows that he is going to die soon and ignores Grant’s message about caring for others.
Jefferson’s attitude starts changing only when Grant buys him a radio. Gaines (2005) notes that while this scene was not initially planned, it proved to be a turning point. There are two possible explanations of the radio’s importance in the story. Firstly, Jefferson realizes that others and Grant, in particular, care for him despite the circumstances. Secondly, according to Grant, the radio helps to reinforce Jefferson’s human self-identity because hogs do not listen to the radio (Gaines, 1993). Either way, in chapter 24, when Grant asks Jefferson to eat the food brought by his godmother to make her happy, he agrees (Gaines, 1993). While it is a seemingly small episode, it shows that Jefferson finally accepts the fact that he has moral obligations to the ones who care for him.
Grant believes that Jefferson has the potential to become a hero for the black community. He says, “you could give something to her, to me, to those children in the quarter” (Gaines, 1993, p. 157). One has to turn to Grant’s conversation with Vivian in chapter 21 to understand what he means. He argues that black men in Bayonne historically follow one of two paths – they either leave or accept their inferior position in the segregated society dominated by whites (Gaines, 1993). He states that the black community needs a hero who will stand up to the oppressors and show that black men have dignity and courage (Gaines, 1993). Grant knows that he lacks the determination to become that person. In fact, he considers leaving Bayonne, just like other black men he mentioned (Gaines, 1993). On the other hand, he believes that Jefferson, who has nothing to lose, can become such a hero.
Grant further elaborates on his perception of a hero’s mission in chapter 24. He tells Jefferson that his purpose should be to destroy the myth of white supremacy (Gaines, 1993). If Jefferson meets his end with dignity and courage, it will prove to the whites that “he is more of a man than they can ever be” (Gaines, 1993, p. 157). It is unclear from Jefferson’s immediate reaction whether he fully understands what Grant tries to explain to him. However, in the last chapter, Grant learns from a witness’ account, that on the day of execution Jefferson exhibits courage and dignity (Gaines, 1993). In chapter 21, Grant tells Vivian that Emma, Jefferson’s godmother “wants to hear that he did not crawl to that white man, that he stood at that last moment and walked” (Gaines, 1993, p. 136). In his last word, Jefferson asks Paul to tell his godmother that he “walked” (Gaines, 1993, p. 202). In the last minutes of his life, he makes an effort to make others’ lives better. His transformation from a “hog” into a hero is finally complete.
While Grant initially hardly displays any of the heroic qualities he tries to foster in Jefferson, his conversations with the latter prove to be a transformative experience for both. In chapter 8, Grant reflects on his role in his students’ lives for the first time (Gaines, 1993). His teacher, Matthew Antoine, once told him, “just do the best you can. But it won’t matter” (Gaines, 1993, p. 53). Later, Grant repeats these words, telling Reverend Ambrose that he does the best he can, teaching his students reading, arithmetic, and writing(Gaines, 1993). However, he realizes that he does not make any real impact, and their future is predetermined. He understands that he is a part of the system that ruined Jefferson’s life (Shelton & Smith, 2010). To break the vicious circle, blacks need to learn about self-respect and dignity, and that is something he tries to instill in Jefferson. Hence, he finally accepts the fact that he also has moral obligations to the community.
For Grant, a black man who can destroy the myth of white supremacy is a true hero. Hence, in his eyes, he can not become one, as he has already accepted his low social status. In the last chapter, he admits to himself that he is a “slave” (Gaines, 1993). However, a hero is also someone who “does for others” (Gaines, 1993). Through his contribution to the transformation of Jefferson, Grant helps his community, Jefferson’s godmother, and his students. Unlike Matthew Antoine, he firmly believes that he can change something. When he comes back to class, he will tell the children about Jefferson’s courage, and his words might inspire some of them to live their lives differently.
In A Lesson Before Dying, Ernest J. Gaines rethinks the traditional hero concept, creating a new meaning for it. His heroes are ordinary people who do not exhibit any extraordinary talents. What makes them special is their desire to make others’ lives better. While Jefferson and Grant are undoubtedly the main characters in the novel, Emma, Tante Lou, Vivian are all heroes in some way. The ultimate transformation of Jefferson would not be possible without their efforts. Through the detailed portrayal of these characters, Gaines reinforces the idea of heroism as a collective act. Hence, for him, the devotion to the community is the only heroic trait that matters.
References
Folks, J. L. (1999). Communal responsibility in Ernest J. Gaines’s “A lesson before dying”. The Mississippi Quarterly, 52(2), 259-271. Web.
Gaines, E. J. (1993). A lesson before dying. Vintage Books.
Gaines, E. J. (2005). Writing “A lesson before dying”. The Southern Review, 41(4), 770-777. Web.
Shelton, F. W., & Smith, R. G. (2010). Ernest J. Gaines. In C. Rollyson (Ed.), Critical Survey of Long Fiction, 4th Ed.(pp. 1690-1697). Salem Press.