A Lesson Before Dying

When I was in high school AP English we had to read the book, A Lesson Before Dying, over the summer. I was not excited that this book would be cutting into my summer fun. As I began to read, I could not put the book down. It is still my favorite book. The story is about an African American man in Louisiana that is accused of a murder that he did not commit. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. In court his lawyer claims that he is nothing more than a hog and can not be held accountable for his crime. He is convicted and sentenced to death. His mother wants him to know he is a man before he dies. She convinces a local man that is educated to teach him about dignity. Both of the men grow as the teach each other and learn. In the beginning the young man sentenced to death thought he was nothing better than a hog, but on the day of his execution they said he was the bravest man in the room. I think this book meant so much to me because it showed me just how one sided people can be. It also showed me that with all the bad there is good. Even though the young man died, he died with dignity and inspired many others. It also shows that you can learn from anyone and that sometimes when you go to teach you also learn. Life is all about lesson and it is never too late to make a difference. Everyday of life is just another lesson.