A Lesson Before Dying takes place in a small Louisiana Cajun community in the late
1940's. In the novel, Jefferson, a young black man, is an unwitting party to a liquor store shoot
out in which three men are killed; being the only survivor, he is convicted of a murder and
sentenced to death. Jefferson's personality and physical appearance in the novel provides not only
a relationship to the courtroom and his cell, but also connected to the geographical setting of the
In the initial setting of the novel, Jefferson sits in a courtroom located in rural
Louisiana, which is filled with anger , tension, isolation, and quietness from the people in the
room. This setting of the book supports Jefferson's personality in chapter 9 when Jefferson's
character is introduced. Jefferson's cell could be considered the second setting or Jefferson's
setting in the book. Jefferson's relationship to the courtroom (initial setting) supports Jefferson's
personality in the prison. He is isolated just like in the courtroom. " There was an empty cell
between Jefferson and the rest of the prisoners" (Gaines 71). Jefferson's cell was not only isolated
like a courtroom in rural Louisiana, but quiet. "Jefferson's been quiet . . . He didn't answer" (71).
Due to Jefferson's isolation and quietness, he has built anger inside. An anger which had been
building up since the courtroom conviction. "Nothing don't matter,"he said, looking up at the
The first setting of the novel is similar to Jefferson's cell setting. The three settings: the
courtroom , location of the town, and prison all have similarities to Jefferson's character traits.
Theme: Jefferson's character represents race the best. The opportunity for equal
representation for the African Americans in the book is shown through Jefferson. There is a
constant compariso...