Stereotypes In A Lesson Before Dying

During a difficult period of time in one’s life, hope will act as motivation. Hope is the one thing that anyone can have even though the outcome is uncertain. However, in an environment where an ethnic group is oppressed and dehumanized having hope can be impossible. It can seem like there is no exit or future. In the novel, A Lesson Before Dying, the author Ernest J. Gaines presents the story of how African Americans overcome the barriers presented in front of them due to their race. The novel takes place in Bayonne, Louisiana in a community dominated by Caucasians. At that time people did not see the minority as equals and the majority treated them unfairly. It seemed as if there was no future and no signs of change. Although the children …show more content…
Predetermined perceptions make it difficult for the racial minorities to see any chance of a different lifestyle. In an article written by Laura Green she quotes the definition Sue Jewell’s definition of stereotypes: “Racial stereotypes are constructed beliefs that all members of the same race share given characteristics. These attributed characteristics are usually negative” (qtd. in Green). The stereotypes of African Americans is that they are violent, criminals and are unintelligent. In the novel, the minority learns to overcome these stereotypes, and prove to others that they wrong. When Jefferson goes to his execution as a man, he shows everyone that he is more than a hog. At this point he is representing more than himself, he is representing his community. By doing this, he shows everyone, especially the children at the plantation, that there is hope for the future. They could change and prove to everyone that a black man is more than an animal, more than a thief or a murderer. Before Jefferson’s execution Grant explains what is expected of him in his last weeks. He tells Jefferson that he can do a lot by daring to defeat the myth of white supremacy by going to the execution like a man. Grant Wiggins said to Jefferson, “A myth is an old lie that people believe in. White people believe that they’re better than anyone else on earth- and that’s a myth. The last thing …show more content…
In the beginning they had no hope and the future seemed grim for them. At that point nothing seemed possible. However as time progressed they overcame the obstacles presented in their way. Jefferson changed the people’s opinion of being inferior, Grant overcame his pessimistic outlook of the children, and as a group they showed the white community that there is more than what meets the eye. By overcoming these obstacles, the minority in Bayonne can have hope that the future will be different. The pigment of their skin should not determine the type of treatment they deserve and more importantly the lifestyle they live. By the end of the novel, members of the minority began to have a positive expectation for the life they will live. It is hope that pushes and motivates one to keep going despite less than ideal