A Lesson Before Dying
Ernest J. Gaines
Study Guide Questions
Chapters 1-10
Chapters 11-19
Chapters 20-26
Chapters 27-31
A Lesson Before Dying
Ernest J. Gaines
Study Guide Questions
Chapters 1-10
Chapters 11-19
Chapters 20-26
Chapters 27-31
1. Who is the "I" in the first line of the book?
2. What similes are used to describe the godmother?
3. Who shot Mr. Grope? Why was he shot?
4. What does the defense attorney invite the jury to ask Jefferson about? What is his point?
5. What does his attorney call him?
6. What is the jury's verdict? What is Jefferson's sentence?
Chapter 2
1. Where does the novel take place? Where is Bayonne?
2. What is it that Emma wants Grant to do?
3. What is Grant's profession?
4. Who is Henri Pichot? Why must Grant talk to him?
5. What is it that Grant wants to do more than anything?
Chapter 3
1. How would you characterize Grant's attitude toward the elder women during the trip to Pichot's house?
2. What is Miss Emma's relationship to the Pichot family?
3. What had Grant's aunt and Miss Emma told Grant before he left for the University? Why is this important?
4. Why does Pichot tolerate Grant only because of his aunt? What bothers him about Grant?
5. What does Miss Emma ask of Pichot? Why does she feel she can ask?
6. How would you characterize Pichot's attitude toward Miss Emma?
Chapter 4
1. On page 25, Grant describes the town of Bayonne. What contrast does he use to show it to us?
2. Who owns the Rainbow Club?
3. Who is Vivian? At the bar, what does Grant talk to her about doing?
4. Why won't Vivian do it?
5. Why does Grant wonder if it's a good idea for him to do as Miss Emma asks?
Chapter 5
1. How does Grant describe the school where he works? What does this description indicate about the community?
2. What grade does Grant teach?
3. What happened to the kid who was figuring his multiplication tables on his fingers?
4. What kind of teacher is Grant? How do his teaching methods compare with teachers you have had in the past?
5. What prompts Grant to tell the children about Jefferson? Why does he tell them all the details?
5. How does Mr. Farrell Jarreau treat Grant? Why?
Chapter 6
1. What time is Grant's meeting with Henri Pichot? What delays his meeting?
2. Why won't Grant eat anything or sit down while he is at Pichot's?
3. What does Grant say and not do when Guidry asks him how long he has waited? why is this important?
4. A point of grammar comes up in the conversation. What is it, and why is it important?
5. What does Guidry agree to and under what conditions?
Chapter 7
1. What does Grant tell the children to do in preparation for the superintendent's visit?
2. Who is the first grader Dr. Joseph calls on. What kind of impression does he make?
3. On pg. 56, Dr. Joseph is said to seem "quite satisfied." Why might that be?
4. What does Dr. Joseph's inspection consist of? Of what does this inspection remind Grant?
5. What does Grant ask Dr. Joseph for? What is the reply?
6. What should the children do to get toothbrushes?
Chapter 8
1. What is Louis Washington Jr. punished for?
2. What do Mr. Lewis & Mr. Thomas bring to the school?
3. What happened to the other boys Grant knew at school?
4. Who was Matthew Antoine? Why is he important to Grant?
5. Why did Mr. Antoine consider himself superior to Grant?
6. What does Mr. Antoine say Grant should do if he wants "to know about life"? What is his final advice to Grant?
Chapter 9
1. Who is Paul? What is Grant's initial assessment of him?
2. What can Jefferson see from his window?
3. How does Jefferson respond to his visitors?
4. What "switch" is Jefferson talking about?
Chapter 10
1. Why doesn't Miss Emma go with Grant on the 4th visit?
2. How has Grant been humiliated by this experience so far?
3. What does he say his aunt is helping to do?
1. What does Jefferson ask for to eat from Grant, and why?
2. What does Jefferson say "they" are planning to do for Christmas?
3. How does Jefferson eat his dinner ?
4. What can Grant see outside the cell window?
5. What does Grant plan to tell Miss Emma about their visit?
Chapter 12
1. Who is the "Jackie" on pg. 87?
2. How did the people of the quarter feel when Schmeling won?
3. How did the people of the quarter react when Schmeling lost?
4. What was the universality of Joyce's story, as Grant saw it?
5. Why can't Vivian "take the chance" to go off somewhere with Grant?
6. What is the reason, according to Vivian, that Grant doesn't leave?
Chapter 13
1. What is "Determination Sunday"?
2. Who is in the kitchen of Grant's aunt's house when he gets home after meeting with Vivian?
3. What is Rev. Ambrose's concern about Jefferson?
4. Where are Grant's parents?
5. Who comes to visit Grant while his aunt is at church?
Chapter 14
1. What hangs over the mantel?
2. As Grant & Vivian go walking, what is the quarter like?
3. What name does Grant want to name the theoretical child?
Chapter 15
1. Why doesn't Vivian visit her family in Free LaCove?
2. How many rooms does the house have?
3. What is Grant's aunt's concern about Vivian?
4. What is her opinion of Vivian?
Chapter 16
1. What kind of tree did the boys find for Christmas the previous year? What condition was it in? How did it turn out?
2. What did Miss Emma do to Jefferson? Why?
3. What, in Grant's opinion, does Jefferson want them to feel?
Chapter 17
1. What happens to the food that Miss Emma brings for Jefferson?
2. In his meeting with him at the jail, what does Grant ask Jefferson to do?
3. What does Jefferson say "is for the living"?
4. On pg.132, what is the sheriff implying that Grant has done?
5. What does Miss Emma ask the sheriff's wife to do?
Chapter 18
1. What does Miss Emma say about Paul? what prompts her to say that?
2. Where does Grant visit with Jefferson the next time?
3. How does Jefferson reply when Grant tells him he must "show...some kind of love"?
Chapter 19
1. Why did many more people than usual come to the school's Christmas program?
2. What is Bok's "peculiarity"?
3. For what can they thank the bad weather?
4. What is the gift under the tree? Who is it for?
5. What is Odessa Freeman's contribution to the program?
6. What is Albert H. Martin III's essay about?
7. There's a point of grammar on pg. 148. What is it?
8. Why is Grant not happy after the play?
1. What time of year is it in this chapter?
2. On what date is the execution scheduled?
3. Who does Sheriff Guidry call while at the house? Why?
4. What does Grant do instead of going to Miss Emma's house?
5. What does Grant want to see as he is walking by the river?
Chapter 21
1. What does Miss Emma hope Grant and Rev. Ambrose will do?
2. What is it that, according to Grant, black men have failed to do since slavery?
3. According to Grant, what two things can a black man do?
4. What can Grant give Irene (and others) that "neither
a husband, a father, nor a grandfather ever did"?
What does this cause them
to do to Grant?
5. Grant says, "In order for me to be what they think I am, what they want me to be, I must -----" what?
Chapter 22
1. What does Jefferson want for his "last supper"?
2. Who gives Grant money for the radio?
3. What radio does the saleswoman at the department store want Grant to buy?
4. What delays the saleswoman in ringing up Grant's sale?
5. What does Grant walk past as he returns to the courthouse? Why mention this detail?
Chapter 23
1. Why won't Jefferson come out to the dayroom to visit with Miss Emma?
2. What was different about "last Friday"?
3. What does Grant ask the children to bring for Jefferson?
4. What two requests does Grant make of Jefferson when he goes to see him next?
5. What does Grant offer to bring him next time he comes?
6. What does Jefferson do that makes Grant "grin like a fool"?
Chapter 24
1. Who is not at the jail when they go to visit next?
2. What is Grant's definition of "a hero"?
3. What can't Grant be a hero?
4. How can Jefferson destroy the myth that white people believe?
5. What is Grant's point about Mr. Farrell's slingshot handle?
Chapter 25
1. What are the two mulatto brick-layers talking about in the bar?
2. How does the fight start? What role does alcohol play in this conflict?
3. What do they start throwing at each other?
Chapter 26
1. Who knocked Grant out?
2. What is Grant's excuse for getting into the fight?
3. Under what conditions will Vivian's husband give her a divorce? What will this prevent?
4. What does Grant keep calling Vivian?
5. What do Grant and Vivian argue about?
5. Does Grant leave or stay?
1. According to Grant, what is the division of work between him and Rev. Ambrose?
2. On pg. 216, what does Rev. Ambrose want Grant to tell Jefferson to do?
3. What is Grant's reply to that request?
4. According to Rev. Ambrose, how did Grant get through the University?
Chapter 28
1. When Grant comes to visit Jefferson, what has Jefferson been doing?
2. What does Rev. Ambrose say Jefferson needs to give up?
3. At what age did Jefferson start working?
4. What kind of work has he done in his life?
5. What is different about Jefferson as he stands by the window?
Chapter 29
1. Why does Grant say Jefferson hasn't earned an "A" for his writing, but just a "B"?
2. Who does Jefferson hope to see one more time?
3. What does Mr. Pichot do for Jefferson in the cell?
4. What does he give to Jefferson?
5. Who did Grant bring to visit Jefferson?
6. What did Bok give to Jefferson, after much struggle?
7. What did Jefferson do for the first time after the townsfolk left?
8. What did Jefferson tell Miss Emma the last time he saw her?
9. What does Jefferson request now for his last meal?
10. What is Guidry's concern about Jefferson's writing?
11. What does Jefferson want Grant to tell "them"?
Chapter 30
1. What is in the truck?
2. What time is the execution scheduled for? Who also died at that time?
3. What is the executioner's concern about Paul?
4. What does Jefferson ask Paul to do for him?
5. What present does Paul accept?
Chapter 31
1. How are the children in Grant's class to spend their time between noon and three?
2. Who asks about getting "excused"?
3. Who was not working that day?
4. What does Grant feel he would not be able to do if he were to attend the execution?
5. According to Grant, how will Rev. Ambrose have the strength to accompany Jefferson?
6. Who has questions when the children come back from their break?
7. What is Grant's conflict with the justice system on pg. 251?
8. What lands in the grass nearby where Grant is sitting?
9. How does Grant feel sure "it is finally over"?
10. What does Paul bring with him when he brings the news from the courthouse?
11. What does Paul ask Grant to allow?
12. What does Paul tell Grant to tell the children?
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