Final answer:
Ernest J. Gaines employs sarcasm and humor in Chapter 7 of 'A Lesson Before Dying' to critique the education system and societal attitudes towards the education of African Americans during that era. Through Douglass's experiences and sarcastic remarks about the so-called Christian morality of the time, Gaines exposes the systemic barriers and hypocrisies in the education system. Gaines challenges the narrative that African Americans are to blame for their educational struggles, emphasizing the necessity of societal support and systemic change.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Chapter 7 of A Lesson Before Dying, Ernest J. Gaines uses sarcasm/humor to refute the popular argument of his time that the educational failures of African Americans were due to their 'wrong education' and that they should be chiefly responsible for their educational advancement without much support from society. This is shown through the character's sardonic retelling of their struggles to gain an education, contradicting Booker T. Washington's perspective that the faults of the education system lie primarily with African Americans themselves. Gaines highlights the lack of support from the environment in which African Americans were trying to learn, especially when it comes to the systemic barriers they faced.
Douglass's narrative serves as a reference here, where his mistress ceases to teach him to read under her husband's influence, exemplifying how socio-political structures limit educational opportunities. The sarcasm is evident when Douglass ironically refers to the Christian morality of the time, while pointing out the 'unchristian' act of denying slaves education. The text also touches on Uncle Sam's rhetoric of civilization lessons, which disguises imperialistic intentions under the façade of 'civilizing' education.
Overall, Gaines, like Douglass, uses sarcasm to critique the education system, drawing attention to the hypocrisy and inadequacies of society's approach to the education of African Americans. This technique effectively challenges the reader's perceptions about historical narratives and their present-day implications.