Literary devices for a lesson before dying?

Question

Help!!! I need 3 literary devices for A lesson before dying. Page numbers are appreciated?

Answer 1

hey harley , its alyssa . its pretty funny cuz iwas just searching for a literary device with the page number and irecongnized the name (  =

ineed the page number for a symbol  !

but here are the ones ihave ;

1) personification : "You know what i'm talking about, don't you? his eyes said." page 74

2)"...immobile as a great stone or as one of out oak or cypress stumps." page 3

3) ihave a symbol : the notebook ; chair ; church , but idk any page numbers ? ) =

if yu get one more : lemme know on myspace !

lovee yu ( =  <3

Answer 2

I don't have a copy of your book = so you will have to assign pages to your copy -

Here are the literary devices =

Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text's major themes.

Small Displays of Power



Gaines shows how racism pervades every nook and cranny of society, grinding down black people in everyday interactions. Black people are made to feel their inferiority when they are made to wait at a white person's leisure, forced to enter through the back door of a white person's house, or treated shabbily by a white salesperson. When Grant must enter Pichot's house through the back door, it is a symbolic reminder of the days of slavery, when slaves could never approach the front door. When angry, the black Reverend Ambrose wields his power over Grant by calling him “boy,” using one of the pejorative terms usually employed by racist whites when referring to grown black men. Gaines suggests that such small moments of subjugation are impossible to shake off because of their cumulative oppressive effect.



Christian Imagery



Jefferson becomes a Christ figure as the novel progresses. Unjustly tried and convicted, the simple-minded Jefferson dies a martyr. The mayor attempts to dispel some of the associations of Jefferson with Christ by setting the execution date for two weeks after Easter, but his awareness of the imagery simply reinforces its power. In trying to move Jefferson to die with dignity, the cynical Grant begins to think of him as a Christ figure—repenting in front of Jefferson and saying that he feels lost—but should Jefferson show him the way, he will find salvation, if not as a Christian then as a caring and active member of the community. Grant tells Vivian that only Jefferson can break the cycle of failed black men; at the end of the novel, Grant begs Jefferson's forgiveness as if speaking to a savior.



Symbols



Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

The Notebook



The notebook represents Jefferson's reconnection with his humanity, a reconciliation facilitated by Grant. By writing down his thoughts, Jefferson reflects upon his position in an unjust world and begins to think seriously about his life. The notebook also symbolizes the reciprocal friendship between Grant and Jefferson. Grant gives Jefferson the notebook, symbolizing his desire to teach Jefferson and help Jefferson teach himself. Jefferson writes in the notebook as if writing a letter to Grant, which suggests that Jefferson looks to Grant for guidance even when alone in his cell. Finally, the notebook symbolizes hope for future collaboration not just between blacks, but between blacks and whites—for Paul, the white deputy, delivers the book to Grant and asks to shake Grant's hand.



The Chair



When it arrives in a large black truck, the chair in which Jefferson must die evokes many different reactions from people in the town. The truck drives slowly through the town, and everyone comes out to see it. Some fear the chair. Some become nauseous looking at it or thinking about it. Some treat it with great care and hesitate to joke about it. Others, specifically white men, joke about using it to warn black men to watch their steps. The chair symbolizes the violence of the unjust system that convicted Jefferson. It also represents the fear that racism instills.



The Church



The church symbolizes the hope that society will change. Miss Emma, Tante Lou, and Reverend Ambrose believe that God helps them—they use this belief to comfort themselves in the face of prejudice and injustice. In the reverend's eyes, when Grant unconditionally rejects God and the church, he rejects the possibility that anything can be done to improve society. Reverend Ambrose confronts Grant in Chapter 27, asking him, “You think a man can't kneel and stand?” The reverend suggests that kneeling before God does not humble people, it gives them dignity. When Grant recognizes that his rejection of the church stems from his own inability to engage actively with his community, he moves closer to a -dignified existence.



Food and Drink



Characters use food to symbolize their affection for one another. Miss Emma brings food for Jefferson; when he refuses to eat it, Grant takes the refusal seriously as an expression of Jefferson's anger at his family and begs him to eat in order to show Miss Emma that he loves her. When Grant becomes angry with Tante Lou, he insults her by refusing to eat her cooking. Grant offers to bring Jefferson ice cream and asks his students to gather peanuts and pecans as a gift for Jefferson. At the pivotal moment when Jefferson starts teaching Grant, he offers Grant food as a way of showing his -affection.