A Lesson Before Dying Study Guide As I put this book down, I felt sad and enlightened. As I sat there after completing A Lesson Before Dying, I thought to myself that inner strength and faith cannot be taught, it comes from within.1. Historical Context: The story is set in a small Cajun town in Louisiana in the 1940s. The story takes place mainly in the Quarter, the area of ​​the plantation where the blacks who work there live, and in Bayonne, the town closest to the plantation. Life for African Americans in this era was characterized by segregation. Although slavery had ended, they were still not treated with respect or equality.2. Antebellum – A period before the war. Usually associated with civil war. In relation to history, the term antebellum, I believe, refers to this period of time before the start of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. I believe this due to the fact that Jefferson was falsely accused and sent to trial against "his peers" who were all white men, his defense attorney painted him as non-human and unintelligent, and Jefferson was sentenced to death. I believe this era of injustice, inequality, and prejudice is the precursor to the civil rights movement or the war against prejudice, injustice, and inequality.3. The closing argument made by Jefferson's attorney was to tell the jury to simply look at Jefferson and examine him. He goes on to say that he is not a man, even though he has reached the age of 21, the age at which "we" (meaning white) civilized men are considered men. His lawyer called him a child and a fool who doesn't know right from wrong. He asks the jury to look into Jefferson's eyes to prove his point that there is no intelligence. He also refers to Jefferson as a cornered animal, a trait inherited from his African ancestors. The lawyer's defense is that Jefferson is too stupid to have planned a robbery and murder. He asks what justice would be served by taking Jefferson's life; it would be like putting a pig in that chair.4. My response to this topic is that I am disgusted. If Jefferson were a white man in this same situation, the defense attorney would look to hard evidence to proclaim his client's innocence. Since Jefferson is black, his lawyer does not bother to bring any evidence that could exonerate him, does not bring any witnesses of Jefferson's personality, does not do anything that a good lawyer without prejudice would do..