Theme: Resurrection or rebirth of a character can occur through his or her words (or ideas/spirits) and provide others the strength to grow or discover new truth.

The Gospel According to Hallie and Jefferson: Words as Rebirth in Animal Dreams and A Lesson Before Dying Resurrection myths play a powerful role in the human psyche: whether the vernal rebirth of the European “Green Man,” the rise from the ashes of the Phoenix, the Easter hymns of Christianity, or the literary motif of the butterfly. Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Dreams and Ernest Gaines’s A Lesson Before Dying both hinge on the image of resurrection. Although the deaths of Hallie and Jefferson are violent and tragic, both characters die with dignity and leave behind their last words: Hallie in the form of letters to her sister Codi, and Jefferson in the form of his diary. Through these two characters’ final acts, through their final words, and through motifs of resurrection, Kingsolver and Gaines illustrate how, even in death, a person can be reborn to inspire others to grasp life more fully.

LEAD: Resurrection myths play a powerful role in the human psyche: whether the vernal rebirth of the European “ Green Man, ” the rise from the ashes of the Phoenix, the Easter hymns of Christianity, or the literary motif of the butterfly.

INTRODUCTION OF TEXTS/CONNECTION: Barbara Kingsolver ’ s Animal Dreams and Ernest Gaines ’ s A Lesson Before Dying both hinge on the image of resurrection. Although the deaths of Hallie and Jefferson are violent and tragic, both characters die with dignity and leave behind their last words: Hallie in the form of letters to her sister Codi, and Jefferson in the form of his diary.

THESIS: Through these two characters ’ final acts, through their final words, and through motifs of resurrection, Kingsolver and Gaines illustrate how, even in death, a person can be reborn to inspire others to grasp life more fully.