In this novel a young man who returns to 1940s Cajun country to teach visits a black youth on death row for a crime he didn t commit Together they come to understand the heroism of resisting This concise supplement to Ernest J Gaines A Lesson Before Dying helps students understand the overall structure of the work actions and motivations of the characters and the social and cultural perspectives of the author CliffsNotes on Gaines A Lesson Before Dying