R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed on + 1437 more book reviews
This is an emotionally draining read. I found myself in the mind of the teacher, Grant Wiggins, throughout the book. He is struggling with his own role in a racially driven community when he is drawn into conflict with his aunt and a convicted man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Jefferson accepted a ride with two men who attempt to rob and then kill a white man. They are are killed, too, leaving him standing over the three dead men. He grabs money from the till, a bottle of booze and heads for the door only to encounter two white men. The trial is a farce with his public defender lawyer referring to him again and again as a hog. How can the jury of all white men convict a hog he says? Of course, they do. Pressured by his aunt and her friend, the teacher finds himself unwillingly visiting the man who is so devastated by the term. His role is to help Jefferson understand that he has dignity, is a strong man and can stand up to the whites who hate his race. Can he do it? The tale spins around this dilemma.
The author grew up on a plantation much like those described in the novel. He lived in such communities and it clearly shows. The characters have so much depth that the reader realizes that the author must have encountered this situation and/or others like it during his lifetime. Excellent read!
Jefferson accepted a ride with two men who attempt to rob and then kill a white man. They are are killed, too, leaving him standing over the three dead men. He grabs money from the till, a bottle of booze and heads for the door only to encounter two white men. The trial is a farce with his public defender lawyer referring to him again and again as a hog. How can the jury of all white men convict a hog he says? Of course, they do. Pressured by his aunt and her friend, the teacher finds himself unwillingly visiting the man who is so devastated by the term. His role is to help Jefferson understand that he has dignity, is a strong man and can stand up to the whites who hate his race. Can he do it? The tale spins around this dilemma.
The author grew up on a plantation much like those described in the novel. He lived in such communities and it clearly shows. The characters have so much depth that the reader realizes that the author must have encountered this situation and/or others like it during his lifetime. Excellent read!
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