In the novel A Lesson Before Dying one of the major themes is man's obligations to himself, his family, and his society. The major character that this pertains to is Grant Wiggins because in the novel he is obligated to himself, his family, and his society to turn Jefferson into a man. As much as Grant wants to run away from his home instead of teaching Jefferson to become a "man" not a "hog" he still does it because if he does not then he will have failed everyone including himself, and the "vicious circle" of black men would continue.

By Grant Wiggins being educated and a teacher makes him obligated to take responsibility to transform Jefferson from a "hog" into a "man. This is a personal obligation because if he had never wanted to become a teacher and left town as his teacher Mathew Antoine had advised...