A Lesson bout Mnhood: Appropriting "The Word" in Ernest Gines's "A Lesson before Dying" Author(s): Philip Auger Source: The Sourn Literry Journl, Vol. 27, No. 2 (Spring, 1995), pp. 74-85 Published : University North Crolin Press Stble URL: http://www.jsr.org/stble/20078123. Accessed: 14/11/2014 15:23 Your use JSTOR rchive indictes your cceptnce Terms & Conditions Use, vilble t. http://www.jsr.org/pge/info/bout/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR is not-for-prit service helps scholrs, reserchers, students discover, use, build upon wide rnge content in trusted digitl rchive. We use informtion technology ols incree productivity fcilitte new forms scholrship. For more informtion bout JSTOR, plee contct support@jsr.org.. University North Crolin Press is collborting with JSTOR digitize, preserve extend ccess The Sourn Literry Journl. http://www.jsr.org All use subject JSTOR Terms Conditions
A Lesson About Mnhood: Appropriting "The Word" in Ernest Gines s A Lesson Before Dying Philip Auger The word in lnguge is hlf someone else's. It becomes "one's own" only when speker popultes it with his own intention, his own ccent, when he pproprites word, dpting it his own semntic expressive intention. Prior moment ppro prition, word does not exist in neutrl impersonl.. lnguge., but rr it exists in or people's mouths, in or people's contexts, serving or people's intentions: it is from re one must tke word mke it one's own. (Mikhil Bkhtin, "Discourse in Novel")1 If we must die, let it not be like hogs Hunted penned in n... inglorious spot If we must die, O let us nobly die, So our precious blood my not be shed In vin... (Clude McKy, "If We Must Die") From Ernest Gines's erliest his most recent novel, A Lesson published works lte 1950s '60s Before Dying, Gines consistently writes bout 1 Quoted in Henry Louis Gtes, ed., "Writing 'Rce' Difference it Mkes," "Rce," Writing, Difference (Chicgo: University Chicgo Press, 1986) 1. All use subject JSTOR Terms Conditions
MANHOOD IN A LESSON BEFORE DYING 75 blck men who fce problems being denied dignity self-worth found in sttus "mnhood." In A Lesson Before Dying Gines gin picks up this me nrrr sry, Grnt Wiggins, blck college educted school techer, tkes on responsibility convincing, non-educted blck lborer who h been sentenced deth for murder he didn't commit, is indeed "mn," not "hog" his white trney declred prt his defense strtegy: Do you see modicum intelligence? Do you see nyone here could pln murder.... cornered niml strike quickly out fer, but pln?... I would soon put hog in electric chir this. (7-8) While much Gines's work ddresses issue estblishing mnhood, A Lesson Before Dying is distinct in it focuses on this issue in most direct wy: problem Grnt re fced with is problem redefining, from his identity given him white dominnt culture, hog, new identity, mn. Within scope this problem, A Lesson Before Dying explores roles socil institutions such eduction, lw, especilly religion y ll hve prt in producing humn dignity self worth. It is in mythologies ideologies se socil institutions produce found tions for definition identity re creted. does feel he h experienced in identity novel's end, is mde possible through his blck 's pproprition socil institutions myths ideologies mselves. Gines recognizes for in 's identity hve ny lting "substnce," lnguge itself, complete mke-up discursive formtions surrounding, must lso. More specificlly, 's becoming mn t novel's end is n ct bed on reinscription (mong or things) most essentil foundtion for discourse, Bible. In doing so, is undersod mn becuse his life first tkes on Christ-like significnce. In defining discourse its socil power, Michel Foucult writes discursive power docr, power present snction truth, is socilly determined through network systemtic uthoriztion involving medicl, judiciry, eductionl, even religious representtion: "discourse is not mjesticlly unfolding mnifesttion thinking, knowing, speking subject, but, on contrry, tlity" (50). In this respect, tk before Grnt tkes on enormous significnce. is "hog" becuse socilly dominnt system inscription, white-supremcist All use subject JSTOR Terms Conditions
76 SOUTHERN LITERARY JOURNAL ptrirchy, deems him so. In effect, for n ct redefinition on Grnt's prt hve ny lting impct, tlity systemtic networks uthoriztion must be breched. It is importnt remember lthough 's symbolic importnce in novel is centrl, this is Grnt's sry. Grnt is novel's nrrtive voice, he is person given primry responsibility trnsforming 's sttus "mn." Obviously, Grnt's own sitution is somewht similr 's in both he re undergoing pround in ir own self-perceptions. Grnt doesn't wnt responsibility for inititing this trnsformtion mostly becuse he feels ny effort mde wrd this end would be futile. Grnt mkes it cler even he, blck mn who h become college educted, cnnot express himself in wy he wishes in his. He finds his own freedom extremely limited, if it indeed exists t ll, he sees future his students be lcking in ny promise dvncement. He relizes, for instnce, work his students perform for schoolhouse, chopping wood or menil chores, is sme work y will likely hve in future: And I thought myself, Wht m I doing? Am I reching m t ll? They re doing exctly wht old men did erlier. They re fifty yers younger, mybe more, but doing sme thing those old men did who never ttended school dy in ir lives. Is it just vicious circle? Am I doing nything? (62) Grnt feels his role n educr bers no promise producing eir; he finds he must work promote dominnt white-suprem cist ideology?or not work t ll. Grnt is doing sme work teching sme ide his own techer, Mtw Anine, hd done genertion erlier. And Grnt h come shre Mr. Anine's pessimistic conclusions well: "It doesn't mtter nymore,' he sid. Just do best you cn. But it won't mtter'" (66). Grnt relizes powerlessness is, in fct, not so different from powerlessness he himself feels. While is imprisoned in literlly confining structure white lw, Grnt is lso imprisoned within structures white discourse. The most obvious exmple such discursive confinement is eductionl system itself. The schoolhouse is detention cmp sorts in which Grnt is llowed tech only ideology will keep himself his blck powerless. And Dr. Joseph, school superintendent, is, in effect, type wrden whose role is mke sure Grnt students sty powerless. Grnt even sees some telling All use subject JSTOR Terms Conditions
MANHOOD IN A LESSON BEFORE DYING 77 significnce in wy Dr. Joseph inspects school children: And besides looking t hs, now he begn inspecting teeth. Open wide, sy "Ahhh"? he would hve poor children spreding out ir lips fr y could while he peered in ir mouths. At university I hd red bout slve mters who hd done sme when new buying slves... (56) Gines emphizes complete imprisoning function white discourse mny "structures" he selects for voice(s) white ptrirchy. Pichot wn's ptrirchl elite ten tke refuge in Pichot's librry, structure designed surround one with white-supremcist ideology presented in his books; sheriff is ten behind his desk t prison, group white men who declre murderer re found within confines courtroom. Even Dr. Joseph is secure in his "confining structure"? school house. The connection is cler: se white men re so powerful not simply becuse re y positioned in such rchitecturl structures; insted, ir power is supported discursive structures y ll, in return, uphold enforce. These discursive structures? ideology, lw, ultimtely lnguge itself?re, literlly structures figurtively, de signed preserve white forms power. These structures re mnifest tions power Foucult refers when he speks discursive tlity. For blck members this Sourn, such "structures" white re ptrirchy re disempower, convict, imprison, enslve. The wy in which Grnt's unt (Tnte Lou), 's godmor (Miss Emm), Reverend Ambrose lern del with such oppression is through ir fith in institution religion. Grnt, however, sees religion doing little produce. The pryers his students recite re sme ones he recited student, Christm ply his students perform hn't nor d, h it proven effect. Grnt h little "fith" in institutionl religious prctice he does in his own bility produce within eductionl system. In order subvert discursive formtion defines hog, Grnt comes lern simply recognizing problems cuse such injustices is not nor enough; is it enough "put one's fith" in institution lized religion which seems promote psivity more ptience thn ny ctive pproch. The is needed is one in which foundtions for definition, for re identity, subverted. And lthough Grnt isn't wre necessrily s he is helping bring bout, Gines presents solution chnging identity nothing short revolutionry All use subject JSTOR Terms Conditions
78 SOUTHERN LITERARY JOURNAL discursive shift, built upon itself. whole new rhericl foundtion for lnguge In discussing reltionship between lnguge culturl critic who presents himself gent, Terry Eglen, in Wlter Benjmin: Or Towrds Revolutionry Criticism, provides significnt "nmy" revolution which is certinly pplicble Gines's novel: To sy [ text] is "true" is not stte it represents rel stte ffirs. It is clim text so fictionlizes "rel" intend set effects conducive certin prctices re deemed, in light prticulr set flsifible hyposes bout nture society, be desirble.... The prctice [revolution ry] culturl worker, in brief, is projective, polemicl, ppropri?t i ve. (113) In orizing "wrd revolutionry criticism," Eglen writes even Mrxist critic like himself must certin extent become Plnist, dvocting n bsolutist philosophy which, nture, Mrxists st in opposition. In or words, since ll truth is bed on reltionl discursive formtions ( refore fictionl), gents should move beyond inevitble fictionlity ir position be more interested in doing ll cn y promote ir desired ends. If mens ppropriting lnguge opposition, n so be it. The ory I im pose in this essy is lesson Gines puts forth in A Lesson Before Dying is one similr revolutionry ory Eglen's: producing is ultimtely rhericl ct. If one's gol is one must identity, subvert dominnt discursive formtions mselves. Only with such foundtionl cn hogs be redefined. In subverting white power structure, Grnt does underst prt wht he hve do: 'Do you know wht myth is,?' I ked him. A myth is n old lie people believe in. White people believe y're better thn nyone else on erth? 's myth. The lt thing ever wnt y is see blck mn st, think, show common humnity is in us ll. It would destroy ir myth.' (192) Grnt understs "truth," or t let this truth bout common humn ity, is bed on myth. In order destroy myth, it is ir job show its flseness. Wht Grnt doesn't underst is in one destroying myth he All use subject JSTOR Terms Conditions
MANHOOD IN A LESSON BEFORE DYING 79 is being, in Eglen's words, "projective, polemicl ppropri?t i ve" in he must one replce myth with nor. Grnt sees white power is bed on lies; he comes lern from Reverend Ambrose produce feeling power for blck, he must lie well: "Yes, you know. You know, ll right. Tht's why you look down on me, becuse you know I lie. At wkes, t funerls, t weddings?yes, I lie. I lie t wkes funerls relieve pin. 'Cuse reding, writing, 'rithmtic is not enough. You think 's ll y sent you school for? sent They you school relieve pin, relieve hurt? if you hve lie do it, n you lie. You lie you lie you lie." (218) As I hve suggested erlier, lies keep blck so oppressed keep from gining his "mnhood" re ingrined deeply in socil institutions control discourse. If one cn gin control se institutions, one cn control mythology produces identity. The "lying" Grnt produces tkes shpe in wy he, Tnte Lou, Miss Emm, whole blck work ger do more thn simply destroy white-supremcist mythology; y effectively replce mythology with one ir own. It is first priority for 's godmor, initir this new mythology, ultimtely, reinscription, penetrte cge white-supremcist discourse surrounds him. And for reon, her Tnte Lou's insistence on entering 's prison cell is significnt; ir success represents first ry hope "prisonhouse lnguge" cn be breched. The mny imges Gines provides 's fmily, Reverend Ambrose, or members entering prison be with re lso significnt, for y show how forces creting ideology mythology, such communl ffirmtion, eduction, re religion, llowed penetrte white discourse. Just legitimcy Pichot's ptrirchl power is confirmed his vrious forms socil ffirmtion? especilly in wy he usully surrounds himself with ffirmtionl support or ptrirchs?so it is will ultimtely rech some feeling self-worth. Yet this step is only beginning. The bundnce communl ffirm tion given gives him symbolic even iconogrphie vlue. The imge him kneeling gin forgiveness is n one importnt for Reverend Ambrose, imge him sting with pride upon fcing his deth is All use subject JSTOR Terms Conditions
80 SOUTHERN LITERARY JOURNAL imge his unt whole wnt confirmed in end. With this in mind, new mythology being creted is one in which becomes Christ-figure in his divinity, his centrlity trnscendentl met-signifier, is power llows for his "mnhood" become relity. Like Christ he is both God mn. Wht Grnt comes lern end this experience is old God. Insted, he blck one cn confirm 's isn't built upon humn redefine mn, one must first redefine God. Gines overtly presents those who power. figures, confirm According or deny relizes y refore "ply God" simple erdiction hve produce new God, dignity. He lerns in order representing dominnt discourse, white ptrirchy humnity. y control discursive power? discursive re God power Grnt ks "Who mde m God?" fter he hve "come up with time dte tke life nor mn." And, course, Grnt ks similr question bout himself when he begins underst significnce tk being ked him: "The jury, twelve white men good true, still sentenced him deth. Now his wnts me godmor visit him mke him know?prove se white men? he's not hog, he's mn. Who m I? God?" (31). This psge mkes cler power God-figure h in creting identity. So much so when Vivin is ked religious ffilition, phring church just become?nothing?" (114). Similrly, put on Grnt's students, scene God-figure tke "nothings" Shepherd Two: Tnte Lou bout future her is especilly poignnt: "You'll leve your y re-crete world in Christm emphizes give m power But we in't nothing but poor little old self-worth: shepherds. Wise Mn One: The lowest is highest in His eyes. (149) ply The trnsformtion in God-figure is lso foreshdowed Grnt's reflection on God-like significnce Joe Louis blck : I could still remember how depressed everyone w fter Joe hd lost first fight Schmeling. For weeks it w like. To be cught lughing for ny reon w sin. This w period mourning. Wht else in world w re be proud, if Joe hd lost? Even precher got in it. "Let us wit. Let us wit, children. Dvid will meet Golith gin." (88) All use subject JSTOR Terms Conditions
MANHOOD IN A LESSON BEFORE DYING 81 And fter Louis's win in remtch, Grnt remembers explosion pride in his : "For dys fter fight, for weeks, we held our heds higher thn ny on people erth hd done for ny reon" (89). The symbolic power this blck mn resisting defeting white hevyweight chmpion mkes him God-like in he is crer positive identity for his blck following. The precher's sermonizing bout Louis proves his mythologicl importnce. It is in this vicry biblicl proportions Louis's followers gin ir "mnhood." In 's resistnce white ptrirchl lbeling him hog, Ernest Gines shows such resistnce mkes similr in god-like stture Louis. In fct, Gines gin overtly estblishes Christ-like significnce. Besides obvious connection this innocent mn being put deth for less thn just cuse, 's deth is timed wn's ficils so not conflict with religious holidy, Christ's deth is timed Romn Jewish uthorities so not coincide with Jewish Psover. The ctul spn 's life in prison is from Christm seon Eter seon. And moment his ctul deth hppens ppropritely "on Fridy. Sme time He died, between twelve three" (158). His Christ-figure sttus is furr estblished in his wish die like "He" did, without " mumbling word," connection is perhps most explicit in he relizes wht Grnt is king is he "tke cross" ors: "Me, Mr. Wiggins. Me. Me tke cross. Your cross, nnnn's cross, my own cross. Me, Mr. Wiggins. This old stumbling nigger. Y'll xe lot Mr. Wiggins" (224). 's Christ-figure significnce estblishes n llegoricl dimension A Lesson Before Dying reinforces role myth in re-cretion. With Christ, Miss Emm, 's gwmor, tkes on role usully reserved for God fr: she is initir discursive movement; from her new ultimtely springs identity for his "followers." In this sense she h cretive potentil socited with God. Her role godmor is lso significnt in it estblishes new mythology being creted mtrirchl. This my be Gines's wy expressing fullness this discursive shift wy from both whiteness ptrirchy, it my be sttement Gines bout n bsence fr figures from such impoverished blck communities Deep South. But it is importnt note lthough Gines presents her initir this discursive shift, her power diminishes fter this effort. Her principle role from point is provider physicl nourishment in form food she mkes for ; metphysicl nourishment he needs symbolic All use subject JSTOR Terms Conditions
82 SOUTHERN LITERARY JOURNAL mythicl figure is tken over or "god-figures," minly Grnt Reverend Ambrose. The significnce Grnt Reverend Ambrose in this regrd is impor tnt in ppropritive scheme Gines sets up. In ppropriting white ptrirchl order, complete shift mtrirchy would not be necessry (or believble). The eductionl religious significnce Grnt Reverend Ambrose is y represent discursive order reinscribed with blck fces, but not necessrily with mtrirchy. In ppropriting Christin mythos, Gines must mintin ptrirchl order with its symboliclly centrl "God become mn." In this respect, 's "mnliness," gendered entity, bers its gretest importnce. In order re-crete powerful source identity within ptrirchl order (white or blck), Gines must insure 's iconogrphie vlue increes in direct proportion his bility "reflect ptrirchy." Moreover, llegoricl resonnce Christ figure is gin compounded with Gines's inclusion 's journl. In it reltes ll simple expressions love he encounters in dys before his deth. He includes psges bout mny firsts: first time he tells somebody (Grnt) "i like you," first time members, including hicpped Bok, show him expressions love, first time he experiences such ffection from his godmor: "... n i i her i love her n i i her i w strong n she jus look ole tied n pull me her n kis me n it w firs she never done it felt good n i let her long is she wnt..."(231). Perhps most importnt first journl is in his confirmtion Grnt's efforts hve pid f: "... i cry cuse you been so good me mr wigin n nobody in't never been good mke me think im somebody..." (232). shows with bundnce power be gined in spirit mutul giving. members his ll gin in ir ctuliztions self-worth y give ech or. Perhps significnt distinction be cknowledged here is reinscribed God is not vengeful God lw represented in Old Testment. The ptrirchs white tke on this role. Insted, becomes giving God fith New Testment. His power resides in his bility mke people believe " give is receive." Obviously form 's discourse, written, tkes on religious significnce well. In line with his significnce Christ figure, he leves behind " word," Biblicl text cn be red guide "lov[ing] one nor." In this regrd provides literl "new testment" gret symbolic weight. All use subject JSTOR Terms Conditions
MANHOOD IN A LESSON BEFORE DYING 83 Along with llegoricl impct 's writing h Biblicl text, one must not overlook symbolic revolutionry impct be found simply in ct 's writing. In "Writing 'Rce' Difference it Mkes" Henry Louis Gtes puts this ide in perspective he discusses symbolic importnce writing in Western culture in eighteenth century: Writing, especilly fter printing press becme so w widespred, tken be visible sign reon. Blcks were "reonble" hence "men," if? only if?y demonstrted mtery over " rts sciences," eighteenth century's formul for writing. (8) Although century, 's plot Gines's novel is, course, set well fter eighteenth similr rgument is used 's trney in declring lck mnhood; he notes 's illitercy pro this lck: "Oh sure, he h reched ge twenty-one, when we, civilized men, consider mle species h reched mnhood, but would you cll this?this?this mn? No, not I... Mention. nmes Kets, Byron, Scott, see wher his eyes will show one moment recognition. Ask him describe rose, quote from one psge Constitution or Bill Rights." (8) Set ginst this white ptrirchl prescription for mnhood, 's writing must be recognized rdicl ct in itself. Of course, Grnt's college eduction is seen thret Pichot his fellow ptrirchs. But 's writing isn't simply cry for legitimcy in white culture. Perhps his writing "cross lines insted bove m," well his lredy noted concentrtion on issue mutul giving, is indiction enough 's discourse is "going in different direction," truly "new test ment" how legitimcy mnhood cn be obtined. In this unfolding, bibliclly llegoricl scheme A Lesson Before Dying tkes on, significnce Pul, gurd who befriends Grnt seems, fit lmost o netly. Like his nmeske New Testment, Pul is converted soldier struck "bolt lightning" ultimtely prech " word" Christ: "I herd two jolts, but I wouldn't look up. I'll never forget sound generr long I live on this erth... Allow me be your friend Grnt Wiggins. I don't ever wnt forget this dy. I don't ever wnt forget him." (254-55) Pul's egerness red journl fter Grnt is finished help Grnt All use subject JSTOR Terms Conditions
84 SOUTHERN LITERARY JOURNAL spred " word" Grnt's students w "brvest mn" t execution dds his prllels with biblicl St. Pul. And perhps most significnt connection his biblicl nmeske rests in importnce St. Pul plces in justifiction fith bove lw: One Therefore, since we re through our Lord Jesus justified fith, Christ. Through ccess this grce in which we st, we shring sufferings, nce not cn Grnt's glory knowing we hve pece with God him we hve obtined rejoice God. More thn, we produces chrcter, chrcter disppoint eily students. imgine us. (Romns 5:1-5) Gines's Grnt tells Pul in finl in our rejoice hope in our suffering produces endurnce, endur chpter chrcter produces giving hope, hope does similr formul for hope "You hve believe be good techer" (254), Pul n bers witness trnsformtion Grnt's teching Grnt's did originl produce. form Christ ptrirch. In cretion this new Christ, Grnt his hve creted "shre glory" someone hope y cn believe debunking fith w due problems he hd with figure Grnt lerns his role n tkes in white dominnt discourse? white gent is not simply debunk myth but pproprite myth? reinscribe it, so it works wrd his his 's own ends. Ultimtely, teching St. Pul rings true for Grnt. Throughout novel he struggles find something believe in; in end he finds it in, he finds it in himself. It is importnt note mening he is seeking, his own obtined relizing ny "tngible" results: blck members Since such blck "tngible" is still still justifiction, dies unjustly, in. is not fundmentlly oppressed. Yet, Grnt, Pul hve "ctul" limits power gined this discursive myth. received "justifiction fith." results hve not been relized, one must k bout Cn Grnt now be subversive he Pul st chnce white police ficer plees reinscription Christin in clsroom? Does preching bout blck "mnhood" in white-supremcist, Sourn blck wn? The nswers se questions seem less thn hopeful. One cn her voice Sheriff Guidry holding novel's hopeful ending in check: "... first it f (50). His voice, representtive white lthough y sign ggrvtion, I'm clling ptrirchl lw, suggests Miss Emm Grnt hve been ble penetrte white discourse, hve lso been contined within it. Their interction with, All use subject JSTOR Terms Conditions
MANHOOD IN A LESSON BEFORE DYING 85 lwys within county jil, would seem confirm this. However, trnsformtion Pul confirms some "substntil" cn be effected. Although Pul is cknowledged from beginning being "from good sck," he is lso representtive white ptrirchl its gretest vlue in its symbolic importnce: it shows white not contined this new discourse; insted, white ptrirchy lw. His h ptrirchy h is now being d, not just penetrted. While "prcticl," "substntil" still seems remote, symbolic power in trnsformtions blck gret. And perhps especilly potentil Pul show is most significnt tion ll. Christ's presence in New Testment potentil for such New Testment connec signifies promise eternl life?not its fulfillment. As with Christ, 's symbolic vlue h only begun in his deth. The point here is A Lesson Before Dying, is like New Testment, resists closure. It is novel itself confirms promise "projective" power within trnsformtive power projected promise Ultimtely, reders in Grnt's renewed extended. Lesson 's (gospel) Before Dying bout mnhood. Gines mkes it cler mn in "pproprition word." The word h on Grnt on Pul is nrrtion. The novel itself becomes Ernest Gines "being mn," white-supremcist South, h more do with discursive power thn with ptrirchs his, is confirmed in ideologies produced With this in mind, Gines shows how mythicl even biblicl University Rhode Isl Works Cited provides especilly is lesson for blck ppropriting being mle. For, for white power define oneself define ors proportions. becoming socil structures culture. mn is truly n ct Bkhtin, Mikhil. The Dilogic Imgintion: Four Essys. Ed. Michel Holquist. Tex: U Tex P, 1981. Eglen, Terry. Wlter Benjmin: Or Towrds Revolutionry Criticism. London: Verso, 1988. Foucult, Michel. The Archeology Knowledge. Trns. A. M. Sheridn Smith. New York: Pnon, 1972. Gines, Ernest. A Lesson Before Dying. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1993. Gtes, Henry Louis, ed. "Writing 'Rce' Difference It Mkes." "Rce," Writing, Difference. Chicgo: U Chicgo P, 1986. McKy, Clude. "If We Must Die." Selected Poems Clude McKy. New York: Bookmn, 1953. "The Letter Pul Romns." The New Oxford Annotted Bible With Apocryph. Ed. Herbert G. My Bruce M. Metzger. New York: Oxford UP, n.d. All use subject JSTOR Terms Conditions