A+lesson+before+dying

Book Title: A lesson before dying __ Summary __ The protagonist (Grant Wiggins) is a black teacher. The story is about a black man called Jefferson who is convicted of murderer and is sentenced to death. Actually he is just an innocent man who witnessed the argument between 2 black men and the storekeeper who is a white man. It is unlucky that all the 3 men involved in the argument died and he is the only one survived in the crime scene. He is framed to be the accomplice of the other 2 black who tried to rob the liquor store and he is convicted to be guilty. Jefferson’s godmother, Miss Emma, knows the verdict and she finds Grant for help. She doesn’t want Jefferson to die like a hog; she hopes Grant to educate Jefferson before his death and let him “dies like a human”. Grant is not willing to do so but he cannot refuse the request of Miss Emma and also the pressure given by his aunt. Grant also had his worry and problem in his life such that he always wants to escape from his living place and also his fate of being a black man. During the visiting and the talk with Jefferson, Grant starts to face the shadows that have long been haunted his life, including his responsibility of being a teacher, racial identity, and also his relationship. Grant helped Jefferson to regain his soul and he finally died with the dignity of human. Grant has inspired Jefferson of the meaning of self before his death, and this experience is also a redemption of Grant’s own life. __ Textual knowledge __ ¨ 1st person’s point of view, from the protagonist’s perspective ¨ Rich and deep descriptions of the protagonist’s thoughts ¨ Conversations between black people in the story are full of grammatical errors e.g. “he don’t have to go”/ “I want ask you a favor” à Reflect the low education level of black people in those days __ Social knowledge __ ¨ Inequality of races cause unequal treatment in schools à resources in Black schools are come from old things in white schools ¨ The superintendent visited Grant’s school and checked students’ hygiene, wondered why the students’ teeth are so dirty. Grant: no money to buy (CH. 7), The superintendent: asked them to work as labor and earn money ¨ à no care and concern towards colored schools; the life of black students are ignored ¨ Students receive education but their destiny is never changed à vicious cycle “//I have always done what they wanted me to do, teaching reading, writing and arithmetics. Nothing else, nothing about dignity, nothing about identity, nothing about loving and caring//” Teachers teach under the prejudice of white society à students are taught with language and maths mechanically; learn nothing about dignity and identity à Trained as obedience workers ¨ High status of White men: Government holders are all white men, such as the sheriff and minister; they take control of everything in the society, even determine the definition of “justice” (the jury and the judge are all white men) __ Cultural knowledge __ ¨ Racism à social hierarchy, white men are superior to black <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Importance of education towards culture and society Indifference towards black schools and students; students learn nothing about meaning of life nor understanding towards human dignity, they became soulless and thoughtless people and more and more people like Jefferson are produced; vicious cycle in society __ Topic knowledge __ <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Teaching The most essential way to educate somebody is to reach his soul and inner world first; patience of Grant <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings; msoasciifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msochartype: symbol; msohansifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msosymbolfontfamily: Wingdings;">à made Jefferson to become opened to him, and change his mindset later on; love and care, essential elements in teaching <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Justice Jefferson was discriminated because of his race and that’s why he’s convicted to be guilty. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings; msoasciifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msochartype: symbol; msohansifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msosymbolfontfamily: Wingdings;">à Ironical: justice is determined by the majority and people with high social status <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Responsibility Social and personal responsibility Protagonist tried hard to escape from his responsibility: 1. Doesn’t want to be a teacher, feel helpless about the vicious cycle of black students 2. Wants to leave his hometown with his lover but he’s bounded by the personal responsibilities (Grant’s responsibility towards his aunt and Vivian’s responsibility of being a mother) <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Life & death Jefferson can’t avoid the death sentence but he regains his dignity as human before dying <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings; msoasciifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msochartype: symbol; msohansifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msosymbolfontfamily: Wingdings;">à Physically die but gets spiritual freedom __ Target __ F.7 HK students (Grade 11) -They are able to understand the complicated feeling and inside conflicts of protagonist, and they also have acknowledgement towards problem of racism __ Challenges __ <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Coarse language and insulting words <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Sex scene between and Vivian Solution: Expression of emotions and let readers understand more about the roles’ inner feeling; view and analyze on an literature basis <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Critique towards justice Sad ending of story <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings; msoasciifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msochartype: symbol; msohansifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msosymbolfontfamily: Wingdings;">à students may feel doubtful about the justice or even lose the trust towards justice Solution: Teach students about the setting and background of the story; Explain that things have been improved over time. <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Religious problem: Protagonist refused to go to church throughout the story <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings; msoasciifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msochartype: symbol; msohansifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msosymbolfontfamily: Wingdings;">à negation of god? Solution: Church is just a symbol of his hope to change the unfair situation of society, not representing any negation towards any religion __ Possible assignment __ <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Writing activity In the story, Grant has given Jefferson a notebook and asked him to write down any of his feeling or thoughts. Students can imagine they are Jefferson and think about what he would write in his notebook, write a short passage from the point of view of Jefferson (e.g. his life in prison, feeling towards Grant, inspiration before his death etc.) *** for training their writing skills as well as check their understanding towards the story <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">¨ Debate (Topic: Grant Wiggins should pay effort in educating Jefferson even he cannot save him from death) Grant experienced inner conflict at the beginning of the story, he can’t refuse the request of his aunt, but he feels meaningless to teach Jefferson because he can’t change the fact that he must die <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">- Students of affirmative team: Explore the meaning of education (although wt he cannot change the verdict, his education towards Jefferson can have positive effect towards Jefferson and also the entire black society) <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">- Students of opposing team: Understand the inside conflicts and sadness of Grant, building sympathy towards his situation and develop a deep understanding of the conflicts of being in an unfair society in those days.