What Grant Learned From Matthew From Lesson Before Dying

The Creole man who taught Grant when Grant was a child, Matthew Antoine is a bitter, remorseful man who secretly despises Grant for daring to believe that he could use education to improve himself. At the end of his life, Antoine coldly concludes that education changes nothing. Throughout the novel, Grant is in danger of becoming another Antoine; in other words, descending into cynicism.

Matthew Antoine Quotes in A Lesson Before Dying

The A Lesson Before Dying quotes below are all either spoken by Matthew Antoine or refer to Matthew Antoine. For each quote, you tin besides see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Information technology was he, Matthew Antoine, as instructor and so, who stood by the fence while we chopped the forest. He had told us and so that most of u.s.a. would die violently, and those who did not would be brought down to the level of beasts. Told united states of america that there was no other choice merely to run and run. That he was living testimony of someone who should have run. That in him—he did not say all this, merely nosotros felt it—in that location was naught but hatred for himself likewise as antipathy for us. He hated himself for the mixture of his blood and the cowardice of his being, and he hated us for daily reminding him of it.

Page Number and Citation: 62

Explanation and Assay:

"We got our first load of wood last calendar week," I told him. "Nothing changes," he said. "I guess I'm a genuine instructor now," I said. He nodded, and coughed. He didn't seem to want to talk. Still, I sat in that location, both of us gazing into the fire. "Whatever advice?" I asked him. "Information technology doesn't affair anymore," he said. "Just do the best you lot tin can. Simply it won't thing."

Folio Number and Commendation: 66

Explanation and Assay:

At that place was no one matter that changed my religion. I suppose it was a combination of many things, but mostly it was just apparently studying. I did not have time for anything else. Many times I would not come domicile on weekends, and when I did, I found that I cared less and less virtually the church. Of form, it pained my aunt to run into this change in me, and it saddened me to come across the pain I was causing her. I thought many times about leaving, as Professor Antoine had brash me to do. My mother and father besides told me that if I was non happy in Louisiana, I should come up to California. Subsequently visiting them the summertime post-obit my junior year at the university, I came back, which pleased my aunt. Only I had been running in identify ever since, unable to take what used to be my life, unable to exit it.

Page Number and Citation: 102

Explanation and Analysis:

Matthew Antoine Graphic symbol Timeline in A Lesson Before Dying

The timeline below shows where the graphic symbol Matthew Antoine appears in A Lesson Earlier Dying. The colored dots and icons betoken which themes are associated with that appearance.

...and frequently die violent premature deaths. When he was a child, his mulatto instructor, Matthew Antoine, had told the class that they would either die violently or spend their lives being... (full context)

Even after Grant went to college and returned to the plantation community, he noticed that Antoine looked at him with hatred. In one case, Grant visited Antoine in his home in Poulaya, telling... (full context)

Grant continues to remember his visit with Antoine. He had just finished his college education, and wanted to learn "virtually life" by hearing... (full context)

Grant visited Antoine one more than time before he died; Antoine was very sick at the time. Grant told... (total context)

...finish his dinner, being searched every time he enters the jail. He tells Lou that Antoine predicted he'd stay in his hometown and be broken down into "the nigger I was... (total context)