Pathfinder: A Lesson Before Dying

Gaines, Ernest. A Lesson Before Dying. 1993.

When Jefferson's attorney states, "I would just as soon put a hog in the electric chair as this," disillusioned teacher Grant Wiggins is sent into the penitentiary to help this slow learner gain a sense of dignity and self-esteem before his execution. (FIC GAI)

In our print collection

• Do a subject search using the Online Catalog. Type the following: African American Women; African American Men; Discrimination; Southern States.
• Check Contemporary Literary Criticism: Vol. 86, pages 170 – 179

In the Public Library

• Conduct a search for the following:
• Contemporary Literary Criticism, volume(s) 86:170-79; 181:76-77, 79-91, 99-101, 103-6
• Children's Literature Review, volume(s) 62:101-04
• Novels for Students, volume(s) 7:156-72
• Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: Analyses, volume(s) 13:249-58
• Literature and Its Times Supplement, volume(s) 1:2:249-58

Using the electronic information databases

The best ones to use are from the Media Center’s Online Databases (under “Research Resources”).

Search for the title of the novel for either of the following:

Conduct an “advanced search” (e.g. “matriarch” and “African American family”) for either database below:

Literary Criticism on the Free Internet:

Be sure to visit the Media Center’s Literary Criticism on the Free Internet web page: http://www.richcentral.org/mcliterarycriticism.htm

Other Websites:

· SparkNotes: A Lesson Before Dying (Check with your teacher for approval of this website.)

· Spokane Falls Community College Library’s Pathfinder: A Lesson Before Dying Excellent list of resources to learn about the heroes, the place, the times, discrimination, and much more. Some resources, although cataloged for their library, may be found in other libraries.

· Oprah Book Club: A Lesson Before Dying Find reviews, background about the novel, and a biography on the author.