A Lesson Before Dying
By Ernest J. Gaines
Critique
Ernest J. Gaines was born in 1933 on a Louisiana plantation in the midst
of the Great Depression. As a young boy of 9, he began his work in the fields.
He spent his childhood digging potatoes, and for a days labor was rewarded
with 50 cents. He was raised during this time by his aunt, Augusteen Jefferson,
who showed Gaines a determination most of us could only dream of, as she
cared for her family with no legs to support her. At age 15, after moving to
Vallejo, California with his parents, Gaines discovered the joy of the public
library. The library greatly influenced his decision to become an author.
While A Lesson Before Dying was written in an attempt to show how
much racial tension there was at the time, Gaines also managed to show how
one can stay close to his roots. I feel that the book was also written as a
dedication to his aunt, to show how the courage of one person can......
Join Now or Login to view the rest of this paper.
Approximate Word Count: 1027
Approximate Pages: 4 (260 words per double-spaced page) |