Seminar paper from the year 2010 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, University of Paderborn (Anglistik/Amerikanistik), course: Contemporary African-American Literature, language: English, abstract: The title of Ernest J. Gaines' book A Lesson Before Dying already alludes to the fact that education is one of the main themes of the novel. In this essay, I want to analyze the different aspects of education that are represented in his work. I will concentrate on the subject of formal education and would like to pose the question if it is a way out of "mental" slavery for African-American people.