A Lesson Before Dying Essay Example for Free

A Lesson Before Dying examineA Lesson Before Dying takes place in a small Louisiana Cajun community in the late 1940s. In the novel, Jefferson, a young black man, is an unwitting party to a liquor break in shoot out in which three men are killed being the exactly survivor, he is convicted of a murder and sentenced to death. To portray this novel Gaines displays respectable lit erary devices like orbit, greenback, and characterization therefore helping I as the reader feel the emotions of Jefferson from his point of view. In the initial setting of the novel, Jefferson sits in a act of justice located in countrified Louisiana, which is filled with anger, tension, isolation, and quietness from the people in the room. This setting of the book supports Jeffersons personality in chapter nine when Jeffersons character is introduced. Jeffersons kiosk could be considered the second setting or Jeffersons setting in the book. Jeffersons relationship to the courtroom (initial settin g) supports Jeffersons personality in the prison.He is isolated just like in the courtroom. There was an empty cell between Jefferson and the emit of the prisoners (Gaines 71). Jeffersons cell was not only isolated like a courtroom in rural Louisiana, but quiet. Jeffersons been quiet . . . He didnt answer (Gaines 71). Due to Jeffersons isolation and quietness, he has built anger inside. An anger which had been construction up since the courtroom conviction. Nothing dont matter, he said looking up at the ceiling.The first setting of the novel is similar to Jeffersons cell setting. The three settings The courtrooms, location and time era of the town, and prison all have similarities to Jeffersons character traits. The court trial scene embodies everything that is contained within the novel. All events that occur throughout the entire novel are a repercussion of Jeffersons court case. These circumstances set up the tone that is simply perceived throughout the novel. Gaines tone in the novel shifts as the novel progresses.Gaines made the novel begin with a pessimism view everything seemed horrific and negative especially the court trial. Gaines shows us this disgust tone by telling us the dilate of the jury members. The xii white jury members of the case shows us that Jefferson felt dominated by the whites. As the novel goes on Gaines tone shifts and Jefferson seems more aware and confident, the anger and disgust diminishes the longer Jefferson sits in jail.The twelve white jury members were also Gaines way of showing the dominance, and power of the whites during this ime, only thinking that blacks are only good for working, and is incapable of thinking for themselves Do you see a modicum of intelligence? A trait genetic from his ancestors in the deepest jungle of blackest Africa What you see here is a thing that acts on command. (Gaines7). Understanding this time era is important for the tone, and Gaines gives good examples representing the era to the tone. Gainess style is unique because the metaphorical language that he uses improves the readers mental picture.For example, when Gaines was describing sink Emma at the beginning of the novel he says she became as immobile as a great rock or as one of our oak cypress stumps(Gaines 36). This allowed me as the reader to picture Miss Emma and the hold that she is in with a mental image throughout the entire novel. He also used figurative language while he describes in chapter fourteen the Louisiana Countryside. Gaines told in great detail the necropolis appearance as Grant walked through and then explain the smells and feelings he has while Grant explores the bread Cane Planation with Vivian.The literary devices were greatly put to use by Gaines to explain, and portray his novel to any reader. He has made a novel enjoyable for an audience that may not like reading ascribable to his sarcasm (tone), and figurative language to set up numerous scenes. The settings are a main building bloc k for this novel because the court room and the jail cell is when the story line is put together. distributively trial, and everyday described by Gaines about Jefferson in jail puts the novel together into one painful novel that I will be sure to recommend.