A Lesson Before Dying Journal and Study Guide

Name___________________________________Date__________________________Period___
A Lesson Before Dying Dialectical Journals and Study Guide
Through the course of this unit, you will be responsible for completing dialectical journal
entries and study guide questions for the whole novel
o Dialectical Journal Entries and responses to each question can be written on the
handout
o Journals and Study Guides will be checked for points periodically, and will be
collected and graded at the end of the novel. Its your responsibility to have
them with you in class and complete each day
o There will be a Comprehension Quiz from the study guide every few chapters, I
will let you know ahead of time so you can study
o The final essay will be on the themes you are focusing your dialectical journal
entries on
Dialectical Journals
62 points total (2 points each)
Complete 31 entries total (1 per chapter)
Focus your quotes and commentary on the following themes:
Tante Lou, Miss Emma, and Vivian are used to taking care of themselves and
others. Explain the role of women in the novel. What was their function in this
society? Was their contribution and sacrifice recognized?
Education is very important in this novel, both its attainment and the lack of it.
Tante Lou continually refers to Grant as the teacher. The other men call him
Professor. Yet Grant hates teaching, echoing the feelings of his own teacher,
Matthew Antoine. Contrast the opinions of education presented in this novel. Why
do some seek it and others consider it a burden? What role does it play in the
characters lives and the life of the community?
Is Jefferson a hero? Is Grant?
How does Jefferson compare to other inspirational figures in this novel (Jackie
Robinson, Joe Louis, Jesus Christ)? How does Grant compare to them?

If there isnt anything related to the essential questions, then choose something else,
like: inferences about characters based on words and/or actions, predictions, or any
other insights you can make into the text

A Lesson Before Dying Journal and Study Guide

Quote
(These should focus on one of
the three themes firstthen,
move into inferences about
character, predictions about
plot, etc.)

Pa
ge
Nu
mb
er(
s)

Commentary
(1-2 sentences explaining the
significance of each quote)

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A Lesson Before Dying Journal and Study Guide

A Lesson Before Dying

Comprehension Questions Study
Questions
67 points total (1 points each)

You do not have to answer in

complete sentences. You will be
quizzed on these questions.

A Lesson Before Dying Study

Guide

Chapter 1-2, pp. 3-15

1. Identify: Jefferson, Grant, Brother,

Bear, Alcee Grope, Miss Emma,
Reverend Ambrose, and Tante Lou.
2. Why is the defendant on trial? What
is the defendants story? What is the
prosecutors version of the events?
What do you think is the most
damaging evidence? What is the
verdict? What is the sentence?
3. Explain how you would vote if you
were on the jury and why you would
do so.
4. What do you learn about the
narrator? What does Miss Emma ask
him to do? Why? How does he feel
about his ability to help?
5. Why is Henri Pichot important to
Miss Emma?
Chapters 3-4, pp. 16-32
1. Who goes to Henri Pichots? Explain
what happens there. Why do you

2.

3.

4.

5.

think Miss Emma reminds Pichot of

what shes done for the family?
How does Grant feel about entering
the Pichot house through the back
door? What does this symbolize for
him?
Name Miss Emmas two primary
concerns for Jefferson. Which do
you think is the most important to
her?
Describe Vivian and explain her
significance to the story. What does
Grant want the two of them to do?
Why?
Describe Bayonne and identify signs
of segregation.
Chapters 5-6, pp. 33-50

1. Describe life for the black children in

the quarter.
2. Describe Grants classroom and his
role as a teacher. What do you think
the Westcott ruler symbolizes to
him?
3. What transpires in the conversation
between Sheriff Guidry and Grant?
Chapters 7-8, pp. 51-66
1. Who is Dr. Joseph? Why is he
significant to the story? Do you think
he is sincerely interested in the
education of black children? Why or
why not?
2. Identify Matthew Antoine and
explain his influence on Grant
Wiggins. What do you think he

A Lesson Before Dying Journal and Study Guide

means by, Here is the burden (p.

63)?
3. Explain the social structure among
the black people in the novel. Note
Antoines opinion of those darker
than he, the reaction of Vivians
family to her husband, and Tante
Lous initial reaction to Vivian.
4. Will Matthew Antoines prediction
that nothing Grant does will ever
make a difference prove right or
wrong?
Chapters 9-11, pp. 67-85
1. Who makes the first visit to Jefferson
in jail? What happens?
2. Describe the courthouse and the jail
cell. Why do you think this is
significant?
3. What is different about the fourth
visit? How doe Jefferson react to the
food Grant brings? What does this
signify?
4. Why does Grant become angry with
his aunt?
5. What will Grant tell Miss Emma
about his visit to Jefferson? How will
she react?
Chapters 12-14, pp. 86-109
1. Name the two sports heroes that are
referred to and explain their
significance.
2. Explain Vivians importance to
Grant. What does she fear?
3. What is Determination Sunday?
4. What does grant tell Miss Emma
about his visit to Jefferson?
5. What is your interpretation of
Grants statement, I had been
running in place ever since, unable to
accept what used to be my life,
unable to leave it (p. 102)?
6. Why does Vivian com to Grants
house? Why do you think this is
significant?

Chapters 15-17, pp. 110-134

1. Explain Vivians background. What

happens when Tante Lou meets
Vivian?
2. Explain what happens when Miss
Emma, accompanied by Reverend
Ambrose and Tante Lou, visits
Jefferson. How does she react? Why
do you think she feels God is
punishing her?
3. What happens to Grant between the
Monday he talks to Miss Emma and
the Friday when he visits Jefferson?
How do you explain the change?
4. How does Paul Bonin treat
Jefferson? What does this reveal
about Paul?
5. How does Jefferson react to Grants
visit?
6. Will visiting Jefferson in the
dayroom make a difference?
Chapters 18-19, pp. 135-151
1. What happens when Miss Emma and
the others visit Jefferson in the
dayroom? How does Grant feel
about the visits? Do you think the
visits will ever improve? Why or
why not?
2. Who is Bok? What two peculiarities
does he have?
3. Why is the Christmas program so
well-attended?
4. How does Grant feel at the end of the
program? Why? Do you think he is
justified in his assessment of life in
the black quarter?
5. Will things ever change for
Jefferson? For Grant? For the
quarter?
Chapters 20-22, pp. 152-177
1. When is Jeffersons scheduled
execution date? Why this date?

A Lesson Before Dying Journal and Study Guide

2. How are Grant and Reverend

Ambrose treated when called to the
Pichot house to hear news of the
execution date? How do you explain
their treatment by the sheriff and Mr.
Pichot?
3. How does Grant react to the
announcement of the execution date?
How does Miss Emma react?
4. What does Vivian say to Miss Emma
when she visits her after the
announcement of the execution date?
Why is this significant?
5. What do you think Grant means by
his statement, They want me for
their own on page 165?
6. How does Grant feel black men have
failed?
7. Explain the difference in Jefferson
when Grant visits him after the
announcement of the execution date.
Ho do you explain the change?
8. What does Grant tell Jefferson he
will bring him? How does Jefferson
react?
Chapters 23-24, pp. 178-194
1. Explain the results of Jeffersons
acquisition of a radio: how Jefferson
changes and the conflict the radio
creates.
2. Summarize Grants definition of a
hero. Explain why you do or do not
agree with this definition.
3. How does Jefferson react after grant
talks to him about heroes?
4. Why does Grant need Jefferson?
5. Will Jefferson become the hero
Grant needs him to be?
Chapters 25-26, pp. 195-210
1. Why does Grant fight the two
mulatto bricklayers? How does the
fight end?

2. What happens as an aftermath of the

fight? How would you explain
Vivians reaction?
3. What does Vivian tell Grant about
her impending divorce? How does
Grant react?
4. What will eventually happen
between Grant and Vivian?
Chapters 27-28, pp. 211-225
1. What does Reverend Ambrose ask
Grant to do? Why? What happens as
a result of this conversation?
2. Summarize Reverend Ambroses
discourse on lying. Explain why you
agree or disagree with him.
3. How does Jefferson want to die?
What does he think other black
people are asking of him?
4. Explain how Grant views God?
5. Will Jefferson be able to die as he
wishes?
Chapter 29, pp. 226-234
1. Briefly summarize Jeffersons life.
2. Explain what Jefferson has learned
about himself and others as revealed
in his diary entries.
Chapter 30-31, pp. 235-256
1. How do the following people react to
Jeffersons execution day: Jefferson,
Grant, Reverend Ambrose, Sheriff
Guidry, and Paul Bonin?
2. Identify and describe Gruesome
Gerty.
3. Explain how Grant has changed.
Note his inner conflict and his search
for faith.
4. Explain Jeffersons transformation
since his trial.