Cultural Themes In A Lesson Before Dying

Culture Clash
In the novel A Lesson Before Dying, the protagonist Grant faces many cultural clashes because of his characteristics; Grant is an educated black man with a lack of faith. His characteristics makes him a very unique character because of the setting in the story which is located in Bayonne, Louisiana during the 1940s. From his alienation in society, his values and assumptions of those around him are quite prominent. One characteristic of Grant that showcases his values and assumptions is that he is a black man. One assumption he shows because of his race is that he sees white people superior than himself. “‘I have no idea.’ He stared at me, and I realized that I had not answered him in the proper manner. ‘Sir,’ I added.”(page …show more content…
Grant being an educated black man makes him a rarity in the setting he is located at. Having an education can be a burden for Grant as well because people think that he knows all. However he does not see his ability and influence as a teacher. Grant told his aunt that, “[he teaches] what the white folks around here tell [him] to teach— reading, writing, and ’rithmetic. They never told [him] how to keep a black boy out of a liquor store.”(page 13). A quote that showcases that his education is limited is when he discusses to Vivian that he is still does not know how to be a man despite being educated and having a job as a teacher;“Do I know what a man is? Do I know how a man is supposed to die? I’m still trying to find out how a man should live. Am I supposed to tell someone how to die who has never lived?” (Page 31). However even though Grant doubts himself, his education gave him a value that education may change the faith of black people in society. This value is shown when he is frustratingly discussing to his students to focus on school; “someone just like you sat right where you’re sitting....But you...prefer to play with bugs,...refuse to study your arithmetic, and to prefer writing slanted sentences instead of straight ones.” (page 39). Grant tells his students that because he does not want someone being in Jefferson’s circumstance in the future. Another example that …show more content…
Grant is revealed to be not fond of religion. It is shown that he isolates himself from religion when he ironically teaches in a church; “I have my work to do, Reverend, you have yours...Mine is reading, writing and arithmetic [and] yours is saving souls. (page 213). It is shown in the novel that Grant’s hatred towards religion is because it is a social system. For example, religion creates order and it’s controlled by white men. One quote that supports this idea is from Jefferson’s diary when Jefferson writes, “it look like the lord just work for white folks”(227), because all Jefferson did was work in the fields. This quote supports Grant because Grant is a major influnce on Jefferson throughout the novel. Grant’s despise for religion is revealed at the day of Jefferson execution; “Don’t tell me to believe. Don’t tell me to believe in the same God or laws that men believe in who commit these murders...I will not believe.”(page 251). Grant expresses this because he is devastated that Grant is going to die and he sees no mercy for the innocent, he just sees a corrupt social system. It is clear that Grants lack of faith clearly shows his value to change the way blacks are

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