The Art of Storytelling: Gaines's Authorial Talents in 'A Lesson Before Dying' Hala Mahdi 12th Grade

Storytelling is a historic art form, its first traces beginning thousands of years ago, and yet it is relevant in today’s society more than ever. Around the world, individuals took to storytelling as a form of self-expression, some even working it into a profession. An example of this is Ernest J. Gaines, an American author known for his exemplary storytelling ability and whose works have been studied throughout the decades. His most notable work, A Lesson Before Dying, revolves around a pre-civil rights era small town in the Southern United States; more specifically, it tells the story of Jefferson, a young black man who faces execution for a crime he did not commit. The novel truly represents Gaines’ ability to effectively tell a story by having timeless central themes, a setting that gives the story a detailed background, and characters with engaging development.

To begin with, Gaines has a talent for incorporating meaningful themes into the novel, including education, religion, and heroism. However, the most prominent themes throughout the story are racism and oppression. In fact, they were established as themes in the very first chapter of the novel, when Jefferson, a young black man, is falsely accused of committing...