The Sky Is Gray Analysis

Not a Bum, Not Yet a Man: The Journey into Manhood in Ernest Gaines "The Sky is Gray" In "The Sky is Gray" by Ernest Gaines, James, a black child living in Louisiana in the 1930s, is prematurely confronted with the issues of adulthood during a trip to the dentist with his mother, Octavia. Living in a second world war America, with a father away fighting in the war, James’ is pressured to assume the position as the man of the household , but first he must learn a very important lesson from his mother. James ' learns that maintaining a sense of pride and independence are the keys to becoming a black man, who withstands the prejudice and racism surrounding him, in a white dominated society. James ' journey is an unconventional coming of age story as a result of his minority status. Traditional coming of age …show more content…
With her husband away at war, Octavia, James ' mother is tasked with taking care of the household, the children, and the discrimination of a white dominated society. Therefore, she is the main person in charge of educating James on how to provide for the family. His first lesson comes when James is forced to kill two redbirds that the family has caught in a trap. James refuses to assume this role of cruelty and repeatedly tells his mother that he can 't kill the bird. To ultimately teach him a lesson in self sufficiency, Octavia repeatedly slaps and beats him until he finally kills the bird. From this experience, James learns that in order to provide for his family, in lieu of his father, he must be tough, assertive, and willing to become a man. James understands the importance of this lesson when his family looks at him proudly as they feast on the redbird he caught. This marks a stepping stone in the development of his manhood. This lesson becomes extremely important as James is a minority. During this time, many blacks maintained a sense of control in their lives by having