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Examples Of Injustice In A Lesson Before Dying

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Examples Of Injustice In A Lesson Before Dying
The absence of justice: violation of right or the rights to another. That is what injustice is. The novel, A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines surrounds the innocent young man, Jefferson learning to understand that to gain justice from this event, to die a man, not a “hog”, to prove he got his fairness from this the trial. The theme is injustice, the novel centers how justice and fairness were not essential fundamentals in the trial for Jefferson due to white supremacy, lack of knowledge, and ignorance during that time period. White supremacy is a big factor for injustice in a Lesson Before Dying, because, during Jefferson’s case, his blame was being brought upon by a white male. White supremacy is the belief that white people are superior to those of all races, mainly the black race, and believe that their race dominates all other races. “Twelve white men say a black man must die, and another white man sets the date and time without consulting one black person. Justice?” (Gaines 157), this quote translates that a group of white men had decided when Jefferson’s death would be, yet out of that group not one was black and felt they overruled Jefferson’s fate for this trial. In this novel, Jefferson was not the only black person to endure injustice with white supremacy Grant faced it as well from Matthew Antoine, “Don’t be a damned fool. I am superior to you. I am superior to any man blacker than me.” (Gaines 65). When it comes to white …show more content…
He was not a hog, and he was able to learn that even though white supremacy, lack of knowledge, and ignorance stood in the way of continuing his life. By the end of the novel, Jefferson was able to learn that he did not need the exact statement he was found guilty, he was able to continue Miss Emma’s dream of him dying a man, not a hog, all with the help of

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