Grant Wiggins In Ernest J. Gaines's A Lesson Before Dying
1586 Words7 Pages
There are around 7.3 billion human beings on the earth, and each individual one carries their own identity. Everyone displays a reflection of who they are, how they think, and how they view themselves, with their own specific identity. Some individual identities may share common factors and traits, while others carry distinctly different ones from their peers. An Identity is not something formed at birth nor do its qualities remain stagnant and unchangeable. Identities are molded and sculpted over one’s longevity and their overall status, relies on life experiences as well as personal views and beliefs. For example in I Never Knew I Had A Choice, Corey & Corey focus on Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory that, “focuses on the emergence of the…show more content… Gaines’s, A Lesson Before Dying. The information given about Grant’s character is that he is a teacher at a local school, he is viewed as one of the most educated black males in his town of Bayonne, and he carries an internal sense of bitterness regarding his hope and faith in humanity. Since Grant’s level of education distincts him from the rest of the African American townsfolk, he is mounted on the pedestal of being a “role model” or “guide” to his students, and the local youth as well. However, this high esteemed light that Grant is placed under by others, does not resonate with his attitude help and assist those in need. For example, when Tante Lou raises the idea of having Grant go and visit Jefferson while he waits in jail for his execution, he refrains from ablidging and speaks with a sense of hopelessness. “What do you want me to do? What can I do? It’s only a matter of weeks, a couple months maybe. What can I do that you haven’t done in the past twenty-one…show more content… Throughout the progression of the novel, she is searching to find several different aspects of her true identity. Esperanza’s transition into maturity, exposes her to situations that develop her sexual, social, and family oriented identity. However, the book focuses heavily on Esperanza’s outlook on sexual interactions with the opposite sex; something revolutionary to her. As her curiosity towards sexuality continues, Esperanza begins to experiment with her identity and walks around her town in highheeled shoes. This situation in particular is the first time Esperanza is able to embrace her feminine qualities, towards the goal of attracting