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  • Essay / The Question of Causality and Direct Institutionalized Discrimination of People of Color in Ernest J. Gaines' "A Lesson Before Dying"

    The great nation known as the United States of America has become considered a strong country and has been glorified by many people. across the world, as the English arrived to form the new world. The dreams a young child dreamed told him it was possible if he lived in America. Although his reorganization seems to have a positive attitude, the life of anyone other than the white person of England is not treated well. In the novel A Lesson Before Dying, we travel through the 1940s and analyze the lifestyle of people of color. I would argue that the lives of people of color seem to face direct causality and institutionalized discrimination in the novel that can be applied to our society today. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Life is known to have certain ups and downs for every individual, but it is difficult to face reality when you find yourself in a difficult situation. Causality is included in everyone's life, defined by Dr. Close as a game of dominoes in life where the cause of something is the effect of a previous event and the cycle continues. In today's society we can turn on our television and hear about certain crimes or law breaking situations where the individual is taken to jail because their act has been proven guilty. For example, in the novel I read, I talk about a young man of color named Jefferson who was framed for the murder of three men because he was the only one alive during a store shooting. Even though he had no intention of buying since he had no money, although the shooting involved the purchase of alcohol, he was spotted by someone else leaving the scene of crime with a bottle of alcohol in his hand. Obviously, Jefferson found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, leading to him being punished even though he wasn't the one who killed the three men. As a person of color, he was not treated equally in the courthouse when it came to deciding whether or not he should be considered guilty. During this time, people of color were still fighting for their rights, including respect. As a man of color, Jefferson had a disadvantage during his trial, meaning that his own skin color caused him to become guilty of a crime he committed. The results of a situation can be analyzed and reflected upon to understand why it ended the way it did. It is sometimes difficult to trace the root cause that led to the current effect. As for people of color, they lived their lives the same way white people felt they deserved to live since they were not the right skin color for them. Another example of causation from the novel includes the character Grant Wiggins, who had to help Jefferson become a man before he died. Since Grant was raised his entire life by his Aunt Emma and Aunt Lou, they asked him to complete the task relating to Jefferson. Although it was difficult to communicate with Jefferson in the prison cage, I was able to notice the bond the men formed after several visits. The discussions Mr. Wiggins exchanged with Jefferson not only helped Jefferson understand his purpose in life, but also contributed to Mr. Wiggins' attitude to life. This means that Aunt Emma and Aunt Lou informing Grant to talk to Jefferson led to other outcomes that weren't really intended. When certain results happen in life,..