Pages 118 -134
Chapters 16 - 17
This is Grant... Ok not quite, but he's getting there. Grant is happier. He know "something has happened inside [him], and [he] wasn't so angry anymore. And that is shown during his visit with Jefferson. Instead of small talk, Grant tries to get him to realize how much he's hurting Miss Emma and honestly how much of a jerk he is being. But Jefferson doesn't care. He considers himself as good as dead. He no longer thinks of himself as living, so he has no remorse of the things he does now.
Grant, however, is beginning to feel remorse. He feels sorry that Miss Emma is suffering. He feels bad that Jefferson is so angry and that he is about to die. Everything he once hated he feels bad for. He's defiantly had a change of attitude. But why? Easy, Vivian. The more serious things get between them, the more Grant starts to enjoy life instead of resent it. Makes sense, after all a woman is the best thing that can ever happen to a man.
But, seriously, maybe it's the fact he is in love, or maybe it's just because he now has a reason to actually live instead of just going through the motions of life, like Jefferson is doing. I think this is why Grant understands Jefferson the best. Grant and Jefferson both have similar personalities. Maybe they are supposed to be the same.
What if Gaines is taking someone who is essentially the same character and making them take two separate paths. Maybe Jefferson is who Grant would be, had he not went off to school. I can see Jefferson as being a foil to Grant by showing how they are both physical beings, but Grant sticks out in his community because of the knowledge he's gained.
Once again, I also connect this to Grant's physical personality. He connect to the world through physical contact. If he's angry, he fights. If he's sad, he seeks comfort through hugs. So after a very physical night with Vivian, he is happy and at peace with life. It's hard to miss the connect between the two. So maybe his lack of physical contact with Jefferson, meaning conversations and friendly gestures, is what has led to his lack of emotional connection with him. Possibly if Jefferson beings to open up to Grant in the future, Grant will begin to feel an emotional connection between with him. I just find a connection with Grant between his physical actions and the emotions he feels.
Also Grant's beginning to find friendship with an officer. I white man named Paul, has taken interest in Grant and Jefferson. At first Grant was not open to discussing things with him, but now he is showing a little bit of trust. I think this shows a shift in Grant's attitude toward white people. He is beginning to see that not all white people are trying to belittle him. That's another lesson Grant can learn from this experience. Grant's biggest struggle is opening himself up to others. So if he opens himself up to someone he's deemed the enemy, I think this would signify the greatest growth a character can experience.
"Smiley face." The View From the Tractor. Web. 10 Jul 2011. <http://thetractorcab.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/smiley-face.jpg>.
"78415015v2 225x225 Front." Cafepress. Web. 10 Jul 2011. <http://images5.cpcache.com/product/nametag-name+tag-name+design/78415015v2_225x225_Front.jpg>.
Do you think that Grant will be able to maintain alone? What if Grant loses Jefferson for whatever reason? Can he stand or will he fall back to his old ways?
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