ALEJANDRO, Jeremie, Fernandez Critical Practice Paper No.

BSED 3 -1A English Date: September 21, 2021

Historical and Biographical Analysis of Ernest J. Gaines ’The Sky is Gray

I. SUMMARY

The Sky is Gray is written by African American writer Ernest J.

Gaines. The story is about the life of a black child living outside Bayonne
Louisiana during the Second Word War. The story begins when James and his
mother, Octavia are waiting for the bus early in the morning to take them in Dr.
Bassett’s office, renowned for accepting black patients and charges them base
on what they have. The ambience is so sad and the weather is cold while James
and his mother is waiting for the bus, James knows that his mother is thinking
about their family because James and her left them with lack of wood and
enough food that’s why before they go with the dentist, James tries to hide his
toothache because he doesn’t want to be a burden in his family but his aunt
found out and he ask his aunt to keep it as secret but his aunt decided to asks for
Monsieur Bayonne known as a local folk medicine doctor who tries to cure the
toothache of James through Catholic prayers and mashed his jaw. The pain is
temporary disappear and comeback again that’s why James doesn’t keep his
toothache to his mother and they decided to take him in dentist even though they
don’t have a lot of money and it is only good for them to take in Dr. Bassett’s
office and hoping to buy a piece of salt meat. When James and his mother are
waiting for the bus, James reminisce when he was only eight years old when his
mother induced him to kill the redbirds for his family to have a delicious supper
but from the start, James refuses to do it because he doesn’t understand why he
need to kill the redbirds that’s why his mother slap him and demonstrate how
he can do it until he kills the redbirds while crying but now he realized why he
needed to kill the birds. When the bus is nearly approaching, James wave his
handkerchief to get the attention of the bus so that they can enter. Octavia tell
James to move to the back of the bus while she pays. Inside the bus James
notice a sign indicating a seat for black and white people and there’s only a one
seat left so he reserves it for his mother. Inside the bus there’s a girl wearing a
red overcoat and James notice her and he shyly smiles but the girl response
arrogantly James focus his sight in the window and sees the sky is gray and birds
who fly outside the bus. The other passenger laughs about James and the young
girl quarrel. While they make their way to the dental specialist office they pass a
school and James turn his attention on children playing on the playground. His
mother tells him to only focus on his way. When they arrive at Dr. Bassett’s office
they sit in the waiting area and inside the waiting area James sees the child
namely John Lee crying in pain that’s why a woman asks God why He allows that
to let the child suffer in pain. There’s a preacher answer her, that they should not
question God but there’s a young man disagree with him and say that the
problem with the black people is that they didn’t question everything or complain
about their situation that’s why whatever the white people say they are being
submissive and he also said that the preacher believes in God because the white
people say it. Then the preacher annoyed with him and he slaps his face left and
right and leave after. After a couple of time the nurse notify that the dentist will
not be able to accommodate them and they should leave and return next time.
James and his mother leave and walking around the town, James become an
observer he compares his rundown shoes to the boy with brown shoes he sees in
the road and then they pass by in a café where only white people are eating and
his mother tell him to focus on his way. Her mother Octavia make a way to make
him warm so she pretends to buy axe handle while James warm his hands inside
the hardware store. James is cold and hungry and his mother asks if she wants
to eat but James insist because he aware that they don’t have a lot of money but
his mother decided to go on a cafe and order a piece of bread and milk for James
and coffee for her. And then there’s a man invited her to dance but when they
dance Octavia notice the malicious action of man that’s why he pushes him away
and he pull her knife as a protection. They leave the café and while passing the
road a white woman namely Helena invite them to come into her store, at first
Octavia insisted but when Helena says that she’ll need James to put the trash
cans to the front she accepted Helena’s offer. James and his mother enjoy the
food who prepared by Helena. When they finish their food Octavia ask Helena if
she sell a salt meat and Octavia buy a piece of salt meat but Helena give her a
lot beyond the payment of Octavia that’s why Octavia insists and she intend to
leave but Helena cut the meat again and Helena receive it. James and Helena
leave the store and when James turn his collar up his mother tell him to back
down and she said that he is not a bum because he is a man.
II. Interpretation (Meaning)
The Sky is Gray is written by African American writer Ernest J.
Gaines, this is a short story that includes in the collection of Bloodline. Ernest
Gaines is a world – renowned short story writer, novelist and Educator. His works
is mostly dominated by images and characters from rural Louisiana the place
where he was born and raised. And it is the same place where James live in, the
protagonist in The Sky is Gray, consequently the Historical – Biographical
Approach is applied in this short story because its focus is on the life, times, and
environment of the author. Like The Sky is Gray story it is ironic itself, throughout
the whole story the miserable mood is portrayed to the life of eight – year old
narrator namely James. His personal experience describes his situation and his
family during the Second World War. It has many themes and images returns to
again and again in Gaines work: themes of grace under pressure, personal
responsibility, and moral behavior. The title The sky is Gray has a deeper
meaning, “Gray is the color of sorrow (Edwards – Wright). It is seen in the
hardships of James with his mother Octavia. When his father left them to serve
for the country as an army and when they were treated poorly by so many cold –
hearted people because of their race as a black American and poverty when
James forces to become strong man and endure the poverty they experience.
These experiences are drawn by Gaines own experience when he was young,
his father left them when he was a small boy and his mother to work in New
Orleans. Gaines live with his aunt Augustine Jefferson and Gaines also
experience the racism when he leaves Louisiana parish because there’s no high
school for African American there. The major idea of this short story is Racism
like when James and his mother Octavia board in a bus to go in town inside the
bus there’s a sign indicating “white” and “colored” people where to sit and when
James observe two men arguing about weather things should be question. The
preacher who believes in God and contented and the toothache of James that
symbolizes of the festering wounds of racism. Moreover, the Historical
Biographical approach establishes a path between the reader and the worlds of
the author. Hippolyte A. Taine (1823 – 1893). The race and the life experiences
of his environment like the historical events and the values of his age it can helps
the reader to understand the literary work and it can bring a big impact to the
world.
III. Judgment
The Sky is Gray by Ernest Gaines is very heartbreaking, throughout
the story a lonely mood is portrayed and its told in the life of the narrator namely
James. His toothache and his experiences when they go in town to cure his
toothache lead him to fully realize their situation when he and his mother
experience hardships and racism. Also he fully understands why his mother
wants him to be strong not be shaky like when his mother induced him to kill the
redbirds for their family to have a dinner. And knowing that his father left them so
he should be act as a strong man for their family and his mother prepares him for
his future to be strong. James also observe his mother actions even though they
are poor his mother trying to be honorable and when James admires the scholars
who says that everything in life should be question, to not believe everything just
because someone you know told it to you. Gaines end the story with a quest
because the story end without the idea weather James cure his toothache or not
but the ending tells us the realization and learning of James when his mother
says that he is not a bum because he is a man. Despite of the hardships and
sorrow the title of the story also tells us that gray is something to look forward for
that there’s also a hope in the future and face those struggles with hope and
courage.