Both Jefferson and Grant Wiggins evolve, functioning as both teachers and students, throughout Ernest J. Gaines’ A Lesson Before Dying. For Jefferson, the urgent need to understand and embrace his inherent dignity as a human being, defying the dehumanizing argument of his lawyer and the pervasive racist beliefs of white society, becomes paramount in his final days. Miss Emma and Tante Lou seek Grant’s help in guiding Jefferson to this realization, enabling him to face his execution without fear or a sense of worthlessness.
Jefferson’s initial anger and despair are gradually replaced by dignity and a Christ-like acceptance of his fate, primarily through his interactions with Grant. While Jefferson cannot alter his predetermined outcome, he can demonstrate inner strength to his community by confronting the electric chair with courage and resolve. This stance is not one of servility but rather a powerful act of defiance against a system that falsely portrays Black men as fearful and submissive beings. Despite his limited formal education, Jefferson is revealed to be an intelligent and sensitive individual – far removed from the “hog” caricature presented by his lawyer – and he discovers this truth through Grant’s guidance.
Through his role in teaching Jefferson, Grant finds a path to overcome his own feelings of powerlessness. He harbors resentment towards the necessity of concealing his education when interacting with white individuals and experiences difficulty fully confiding in his girlfriend, Vivian. He perceives his teaching career as futile, believing that the young students under his charge fail to retain his lessons. However, his relationship with Jefferson reveals his capacity to effect change by instilling hope and self-respect within a community desperately lacking these qualities. In the concluding chapter, Grant finally allows himself to weep openly, and the symbolic encounter with the yellow butterfly immediately following Jefferson’s death suggests that he, too, has undergone a profound transformation.
