A Lesson Before Dying: Chapter 16 and 17

CHAPTER 16 PAGE 120 – PARAGRAPH 4

“You didn’t tell me the truth the other day, did you?” Miss Emma said.

1)       Does the quotation indicate a conflict?  If so, what conflict?

                This quotation indicates a minor conflict between Grant and Miss Emma.  After they had visited Jefferson in jail that was probably when Miss Emma realized that Grant had lied about his visit.  Grant had said Jefferson was fine and ate her food, but what really happened was that he kept referring himself as a hog; acted like a hog and ate like a hog.  By Jefferson referring himself to a hog and not accepting Miss Emma’s food, during their visit, was what gave Grant away.

                This quote doesn’t answer another question, but it is a lesson for everyday life. “Everything comes to the light.” “Lying gets you nowhere.”

CHAPTER 17 PAGE 130 – PARAGRAPH 3

     “Her old pussy ain’t no good,” he said.

1)      Does the quotation characterize Grant, Jefferson, or another character?  If so, in what way does it characterize?

                This quotation helps show a characteristic of Jefferson.  That characteristic is that when Jefferson is hurt or angry he will say hurtful things to other people to put them down or anger them too.  He knew that saying that about Vivian would anger Grant.  Good thing Grant knew he was just “in his feelings.”

2)      Does the quotation indicate a conflict?  If so, what conflict?

               This quote shows that Jefferson knows about the relationship between Grant and Vivian.  Which could possibly mean that if Jefferson knows, then everybody else do.  It may not be a conflict right now, but that there could be one later on in the novel; maybe dealing with Vivian’s divorce and who gets what or what the community thinks about her.