In the novel "A Lesson Before Dying" by Ernest J. Gaines, Grant Wiggins and Jefferson are two of the main characters whose connections with other characters help teach them important lessons about humanity.
Grant Wiggins is a black schoolteacher who struggles with his identity and purpose in life. His connection with his aunt Tante Lou, who raised him, and her friend Miss Emma, who is Jefferson's godmother, teaches him the importance of community and familial bonds. Through their insistence that Grant teach Jefferson to be a man before he dies, Grant comes to understand the significance of individual agency and the value of preserving human dignity.
Jefferson, a young black man wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to death, initially sees himself as a "hog" rather than a human being. However, through his connection with Grant, who serves as his teacher and mentor, and with Reverend Ambrose, who provides him with spiritual guidance, Jefferson learns the value of human life and the importance of self-respect. He comes to see himself as a man and asserts his humanity in the face of dehumanizing circumstances.
Additionally, the connections both Grant and Jefferson have with the white characters in the novel teach them about the complexities of race relations in the South. Grant's relationship with his former classmate, now a white landowner, reveals the extent to which racism and inequality are ingrained in the social and economic structures of their society. Similarly, Jefferson's connection with the white sheriff and deputy who oversee his execution highlights the dehumanizing effects of racial stereotypes and discrimination.
Overall, the connections that Grant and Jefferson have with other characters in "A Lesson Before Dying" illustrate the importance of community, dignity, and respect in shaping one's sense of humanity. Through these connections, the characters learn important lessons about the complexities of race and the enduring power of individual agency and self-respect