Essay On Ernest Gaines Influence On Education

The Educational Influence of Ernest Gaines’s Life Education is not only a theme found in the fictional works of acclaimed author, Ernest J. Gaines, but also plays a major role in his real life. At a young age he would help out the older folks by writing letters for them. He taught himself to listen carefully to their stories, and learned to be creative with his writing. That was the genesis of his interest in both writing and the importance of education. Later, it was many hours spent at the library in California, reading everything he could get his hands on, which really inspired him to become a writer. Much like the age-old question, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” one might wonder if Gaines’s education led to his writings as much as his writings had an influence on him as an educator. We know, as a child Gaines had received only a very basic education in South Louisiana plantation quarters. A lot of his education about life actually came from his beloved aunt, Augusteen, who was a double-amputee,
It is the tale of a young black man on death row who gains dignity and self-awareness from a rural teacher who visits him daily in prison. This book exemplifies education and learning in different ways. In one way, the prisoner learns how to express his feelings and write them down while in prison. Another way the theme of education is shown is that the prisoner also learns how to compose himself with courage and dignity. The most important way that this book shares the theme of education is how Ernest Gaines educates all of the readers that all humans ( no matter their race) are equal and should be treated that way. Being able to exemplify the many different ways there are to introduce the theme of knowledge into his novels was one of Gaines’s strengths. However, he was also known to have included some sub themes that would compliment his main theme of