AP English Literature Summer Assignment Essay

	For this assignment, I chose to read the book A Lesson Before Dying. Set in the time period after World Ward II but before the Civil Rights Movement, the book centers around the deaths of three men, one of them white, and an innocent black man who was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, and sentenced to death. A local teacher is tasked to help the man reclaim his dignity before he's executed. 
	So, how does the first chapter of How To Read Literature Like A Professor apply to this book? The structure that defines a quest is entirely present. In this case, the quester is Grant Wiggins, the teacher. The place to go, or  "holy grail" of the quest, is helping the innocent black man, Jefferson, reclaim his humanity for the stated reason that Wiggins is asked to by his aunt's friend. Challenges and trials are present in Jefferson's stubbornness and refusal to believe in his own dignity and his acceptance of the white man's perception of him. Wiggins must overcome this in order for Jefferson to face his death as a true man. Finally, there's also a real reason for Wiggins to help Jefferson. Although he may not be aware, Wiggins is not only helping Jefferson find his humanity, but also alleviating his own sense of inadequacy and helplessness. Wiggins is unable to affect change in his friends' and family's situation in life directly, but sees a way to improve life for all southern black people by helping Jefferson, even if the change is negligible. As explained in How To Read Literature Like A Professor, the quester gained self-knowledge through the real reason for the quest. This is how I believe we can apply this quest idea to A Lesson Before Dying.