Heroism

• When Jefferson asks Grant what makes a hero, Grant replies that a hero is someone who is not afraid to do something for other people. Even though Grant insists that he is not a hero himself, because in his opinion he only has his interests as an educated black man in mind
• However, he forgets that he is helping Jefferson and acting in the prisoner's interest, overcoming his initial resistance to help him
• Grant finds Jefferson capable of being a hero. The primary school teacher sees the reason for this in the fact that, contrary to the expectations of the white people involved, Jefferson can maintain his human dignity until his last minute
• Grant Wiggins undergoes a kind of transformation in the course of A lesson before dying. While Grant rejects heroism, personal sacrifice and all morality in his first encounters with Jefferson, he can overcome his initial rejection a little later. In this way, he can awaken the heroic potential of Jefferson

Sacrifice

• Emma and Aunt Lou both take on a mothering role. They both make sacrifices to meet the needs of their charges. While Miss Emma provides for Jefferson by cooking for him and taking care of him, Aunt Lou works harder than ever to finance Grant's college education
• Even Grant, who calls himself an egotist to Jefferson, devotes his life to teaching children for reasons he can't quite explain. Gaines justifies Grant's career choice by arguing that humans have an innate, illogical desire to want to help others
• If one were to argue that heroism is sacrifice, this would imply, by implication, that all people are capable of heroism. In a sense, heroism is also found in Jefferson: although he is afraid of death, he puts Miss Emma's interests before his own and bravely goes to his death for her sake to make her proud
• Although everyone is capable of heroism, few of us prove it, as it can sometimes mean choosing the uncomfortable path. Gaines thus shows that sacrifice and heroism are not lofty ideals but deeds that any person can accomplish with the right encouragement. Although few of us become martyrs, it is possible to be a hero in other ways. Quiet heroism is evident in Miss Emma, Aunt Lou and even Grant, for a hero does not need to brag about his exploits

Morality

• The author states the bond of the family as one of the most important interpersonal bonds. Both Grant and Jefferson, are abandoned by their parents, yet they do not lack parental figures in their lives. Both Miss Emma and Aunt Lou make a conscious decision to raise the two young men
• Emma and Lou attempts to introduce Grant and Jefferson into the circles of the church are done less out of religious conviction than out of an impulse to integrate their boys into the social circle of the community
• Both, Jefferson and Grant, can counteract their cynicism, which has formed because of disappointing expectations in their lives, by beginning to act in the spirit of their family. By overcoming their insecurities and putting the needs of their closest confidants first, they regain a sense of meaning and realize a new purpose in their lives