A Lesson Before Dying

by Ernest J. Gaines

The Prison

page 1-256

The prison that is portrayed throughout this novel is very depressing. When a person gets sent there, it is like hell. As soon as one walks in, escorted by a police officer, he or she is stripped of their clothing and all personal belongings are taken away. No one person will have any specific object of their identity. They are searched vigorously for any slightly harmful object. The food tastes like garbage and no one is given very much of it. The doorway is a dark gateway to nowhere. Everything is locked until a guard assists one through the doors.

Once the prisoner gets pasts the gates, it is a whole different story. All the other prisoners sitting in their cells looking very lonely, looking like they are mad at the world. This is not a very inviting experience for one who will probably eventually end up just the same way. As the prisoner enters his or her own cell it becomes much more of a reality that they may spend the rest of their lives in a place as scary as a nightmare.

This person will be spending most of their time in a small room that will not reflect them personally at all. The cell is practically empty, except for a small sink and toilet, and a bed as hard as a rock. This particular cell was at the end of a very dark hallway filled with dirty, angry men. It becomes extremely lonely and discouraging once one realize that they actually will spend the remainder of their time there.

Jefferson will be sent to his death from this cell, where all he can do is wait for the day of his execution. All he can feel is that he is going no where fast and there is no turning back now that he had made all of his mistakes.