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A Lesson Before Dying Writing Sample Throughout the story A Lesson Before Dying, the term hog is used in a cruel manner to describe Jefferson. The term hog was first used with intention of possibly reducing his sentence of death. He was being charged for the murder of Mr. Grope the storeowner. It was not uncommon at the time for African Americans to be belittled by being called a hog. Jefferson’s lawyer was referring to him as a hog as an excuse that seemed practical at the time of post-civil war reconstruction era of the time. It was thought in the south that African Americans were inferior to whites at the time, and Jefferson committing murder was just his inability to make proper distinction between right and wrong. Prior to the verdict being announced both sides the defense and prosecution both had closing statements that had permanent effects upon the story. The prosecution accused Jefferson of being the last man standing after the robbery that went wrong; then stuffing money into his pockets and celebrating the event by drinking over there still-bleeding bodies. This proposal was not even close to true proceedings that happened on that day when Jefferson was cheated into being apart of such an unintelligent pla