Short-Questions

Fast solutions for complex problems

What does Paul do in A Lesson Before Dying?

Paul. The sheriff’s deputy at the Bayonne jail, he is the only white in the novel who truly sympathizes with the black struggle in the South.

Who went to jail in A Lesson Before Dying?

Whilst Wiggins takes the job in contemplation of whether to maintain his position or to completely move away from the place of his childhood, both Jefferson’s godmother and his aunt successfully persuades him to go on a prison-visit and impart wisdom to Jefferson before his death.

What happened in chapter 20 of A Lesson Before Dying?

Summary: Chapter 20 The date of Jefferson’s execution has been set, and Grant goes to Henri Pichot’s house. Reverend Ambrose has already arrived at Pichot’s, but Sheriff Guidry has not. The housekeeper assures Grant that Guidry is “on his way,” but Grant is dubious. After a few minutes, however, Guidry arrives.

What do Grant and Paul talk about?

As Paul walks him past the prisoners, Grant asks him how Jefferson is doing; Paul replies that he’s doing all right, eating some of the food his family sends him.

Is Paul in A Lesson Before Dying white?

A white deputy sheriff at the jail where Jefferson is held, and the only guard who treats Jefferson and Grant with respect. Paul shows many signs that he wants Grant to succeed in inspiring Jefferson to be brave.

How did Grant Change in A Lesson Before Dying?

Grant’s perspective changes over the course of the novel as a result of his visits to Jefferson and his interactions with Vivian, his aunt Tante Lou, and Reverend Ambrose. He learns to love something other than himself and to strive for change without retreating into his shell of cynicism.

What year is A Lesson Before Dying set in?

1948
Set in 1948, the novel addresses literacy, poverty and race relations in the segregated South. NPR’s Bob Edwards speaks with author Ernest Gaines.

What is the lesson in the Lesson Before Dying?

The moral of the novel is that even a brutal system of racism cannot remove people’s humanity. The novel, set in the Jim Crow days before the Civil Rights movement, is about the inhumane treatment of African Americans in Louisiana.

Why does Grant try to hurt his aunt when he tells her he will be eating in Bayonne?

Why does Grant try to hurt his aunt when he tells her her will be eating in Bayonne? He is bitter about helping Jefferson and is being defiant. (She made a lot of food and he is not eating it.)

What happened in chapter 19 of A Lesson Before Dying?

In Chapter 19 of A Lesson Before Dying, Grant’s students put on a performance to celebrate Christmas. Most of the people living in the quarter show up. There are more people than usual in the audience, and Grant thinks it has something to do with the fact that the play is dedicated to Jefferson.

What happens in Chapter 17 of A Lesson Before Dying?

Summary: Chapter 17 On Friday, when Grant enters Jefferson’s cell, he has no idea how to help Jefferson. He tries talking about Miss Emma and the pain Jefferson causes her. Jefferson says that Grant wouldn’t be talking about love and compassion if Grant sat on death row. Jefferson says he never asked to be born.

Where does Tante Lou spend the night before the execution?

Lou stays there all night, while Ambrose leaves around midnight to get some sleep, knowing that Sheriff Guidry wants all witnesses to the execution to be present at the courthouse by eleven thirty. Vivian and Grant spend the night at the Rainbow Club—it’s both quieter and more full than he’s ever seen it.

Who are the deputies in a lesson before dying?

When they arrive, they meet two deputies, Clark and Paul. Clark orders Paul to search through the package Emma has brought for Jefferson. After a thorough inspection, they allow Emma and Grant into Jefferson’s cell. They find Jefferson lying flat on his bunk, staring at the ceiling.

Who is deputy Paul Bonin in the lesson before dying?

The timeline below shows where the character Deputy Paul Bonin appears in A Lesson Before Dying. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance. …downstairs, which are disgusting; white people use the cleaner indoor bathrooms. A young deputy named Paul tells Emma that Jefferson has been very quiet lately.

What happens in Chapter 9 of the lesson before dying?

Summary: Chapter 9. Grant takes Miss Emma to the jail in Bayonne. When they arrive, they meet two deputies, Clark and Paul. Clark orders Paul to search through the package Emma has brought for Jefferson.

How is grant different from Jefferson in a lesson before dying?

Although Grant does not show the same amount of aggression that Jefferson does in the cell, Grant’s will to abandon Jefferson and the South can itself be seen as an aggressive affront. Grant’s inability to see the good that might come from his visits with Jefferson prevents him from interacting positively with Jefferson.