A lesson before dying ( summary chapter 9-12)

Oktober 27, 2010

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A lesson before dying ( summary chapter 9-12)

The chapters 9-12 from the novel “a lesson before dying” by Ernest J. Gaines, which was published in 1933, deals with Grant Wiggins and Miss Emma’s visits in Jefferson’s cell and with a meeting between Grant Wiggins and his secret love called Vivian.

The extract starts with the picking up of Miss Emma by Grant Wiggins and the driving to the jail in Bayonne. As they arrive, two deputies called Paul and Clark are in the jail and Clark orders Paul to check the basket with food, which Miss Emma brings for Jefferson. After a short introduction of the rules in the jail, Grant Wiggins and Miss Emma are guided to Jefferson’s cell, where Jefferson lies on his bunk and stares unemotionally at the ceiling. Miss Emma offers him some food, but he refuses it and even does not answer her questions. When they leave the cell Jefferson asks when he will be executed, but they does not know a fitting answer. The next two visits follow a similar pattern. But on the fourth visit Grant Wiggins comes alone, because Aunt Lou tells him, that Miss Emma is ill and cannot come with him. Grant Wiggins drives to the Miss Emma’s house, where she sits in her chair and coughs unconvincingly. Mr. Wiggins figures that she is just feigning her illness, because Grant shall visit Jefferson alone henceforth. Therefore he is getting angry and tells Miss Emma and Aunt Lou that he feels sick managing the duties they ask for him. Miss Emma apologizes and tells Grant, that she has no one else who would help.

After that, Grant Wiggins goes to Jefferson’s cell alone. He feels pretty unwell and does not know what he could say to Jefferson. Grant offers Jefferson some food, but he asks him, whether Grant has some corn, because hogs eat corn. Jefferson kneels on the ground and puts his head into the bag of the food like a hog would do it. Mr. Wiggins asks Jefferson, whether he wants to make him guilty for his situation and wants that he shall leave him alone. Grant tries to start a conversation about what Jefferson thinks about his circumstances, but he stifles it immediately.

Grant does not want to tell Miss Emma Jefferson’s disturbing anger, so he has to lie. While thinking about that he drives to the Rainbow club, where he drinks something and listens to a conversation by some old men about Jackie Robinson, who was a Baseball player. During hearing to the talk Mr. Wiggins remembers a young man, who should be executed on the electric chair, who asked the legendary boxer Joe Louis to rescue him. He asks himself, whether Jefferson could do the same with Jackie Robinson. Grant leaves the bar and goes to the school, where Vivian, his secret girlfriend, works at her desk. Mr. Wiggins wants to leave the town with her tonight, but she disagrees, because she does not want to give her husband any excuse to take her children. He tells her from his visit with Jefferson and that he wants to leave the south. Grant Wiggins is very confused, because he does not know how he should pass  Jefferson’s situation.