Eric ej1097611 motherlove, initiation, poverty, and pride. Ernest gaines story, the sky is grey, is a heartfelt story about james, a black youth living in louisiana during the second world war. Ernest gaines discussion the sky is gray ernest j gaines. Ernest james gaines was born on january 15, 1933, on the river lake plantation, pointe coupee parish, louisiana. As rendered by gaines, this country becomes as familiar, and as haunted by cruelty, suffering, and courage, as ralph ellisons harlem or. Gaines writing a lesson before dying i was teaching at the university of southwestern louisiana in lafayette when i came up with the idea for a lesson before dying.
Ernest gaines was born on a plantation in pointe coupee parish near new roads, louisiana, which is the bayonne of all his fictional works. But james life scarcely seems like a childhood at all, for it is occupied with worries and concerns too old for a child. Gaines the sky is gray, octavia finds out the hard way. Gaines presents a fictionalized account of a series of events that occurred in 1940s louisiana when he was a mere boy suffering with a bad toothache. Just as the clouds clear after a storm, james finds out on his trip to. Gaines and almos a man by richard wright, the two main characters display different levels of maturity. This is actually an excellent film version of a great short story by ernest gaines. He is a writerinresidence emeritus at the university of louisiana at lafayette. He spent most of his childhood with his aunt, augusteen jefferson, a determined woman who had no legs but managed to. Four of his works were made into television movies. Gaines was thirty in 1963, the year in which the sky is gray was first published, but it was not until five years later, in 1968, that the story was published as the second story in bloodline, the thematically interwoven collection with which readers associate it today.
That work, like the five stories constituting bloodline 1968 before it. James the boys tooth started to ache extremely bad, after praying and other stuff, his mom decides to bring him to get his tooth fixed and he doesnt want to because he knows they do not have much money. It is true that nothing blows up and adam sandler is not in it. Gaines was born on a louisiana plantation in 1933 in the midst of the great depression. Three life lessons that james learned the story the sky is gray by ernest gaines is about a day in the life of a mother and son. Critical analysis of the story the sky is gray by ernest.
Gainess sky is gray 1st edition by gale, cengage and publisher gale. In these five stories, gaines returns to the cane fields, sharecroppers shacks, and decaying plantation houses of louisiana, the terrain of his great novels a. Gaines is a master of the dialect of his home region of southern louisiana, and he uses this skill to good advantage in the sky is gray. It suggests at first the bleak mood of the story but also hints at hope in the future.
You also hear a short intro from henry fonda about the author and film. Gaines, the sky is gray, is a story of a woman during world war ii, who is faced with the challenges of raising and providing for her family financially in the absent of her husband because of the war. An analysis of james character in the sky is gray by ernest. Ernest j gaines, recipient of the national humanities medal, national medal of the art, chavalier of the order of arts and letters from the government of france, and a national books critics circle award winner, died on november 5, 2019, at his home in oscar, louisiana. Would the big gray sky or a little southern town been a title for the story. Listen as ernest gaines reads the ending lines from the sky is gray. He says that the reason why gainess story is his favorite to teach. In the sky is gray gaines shows how poverty has caused jamess maturity to grow, while in almos a man wright shows how dave tries to prove his maturity by purchasing a gun. The family is portrayed as being poor, as were most blacks in those days, and the father was recruited by the army, leaving the mother to be the sole provider for the family. In the sky is gray gaines shows how poverty has caused jamess maturity to grow, while in almos a man wright shows how dave tries to prove his maturity by. Ernest james gaines january 15, 1933 november 5, 2019 was an american author whose works have been taught in college classrooms and translated into many languages, including french, spanish, german, russian and chinese.
Scholars argue that the stories in bloodline show the growth towards, and. Sep 03, 2014 yolaine stout a suicidal neardeath experience and what it taught me about life duration. A long day in novemberthe sky is graythree menbloodline just like. His 1993 novel, a lesson before dying, won the national book critics circle award for fiction. Set in louisiana, octavia is forced to raise her family by herself when her husband is sent off to war.
Critical analysis of the story the sky is gray by ernest gaines the title of the story the sky is gray by ernest gaines is ironic. The five stories in ernest gaines bloodline explore various stages of life from the perspective of poor african americans in the early 20th century. Offers an adaptation of ernest gaines short story the sky is gray about a young black farmboys dawning of awareness about himself and society. Gaines is best known for his third novel, the autobiography of miss jane pittman 1971, which recounts her latterday observations of living in a racially torn louisiana through the century between the war between the states and the civil rights movement of the 1960s. His father has been drafted into the war, world war ii, so his mother has to try to support the family by working in the f. In these five stories, ernest gaines returns to the cane fields, sharecroppers shacks, and decaying plantation houses of louisiana, the terrain of his great novels a gathering of old men and a lesson before dying. You can also watch a 1979 film adaptation of the short story. Mar 07, 2005 do you know what it takes to raise a family as a single parent. This study guide consists of approximately 53 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the sky is gray. Do you know what it takes to raise a family as a single parent.
At first, this did not necessarily strike me as anything warranting further exploration since the narrative comes. Gaines, is split into thirteen sections, each of which describe part of half a day in jamess life. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the sky is gray by ernest j. A long day in november, the sky is gray, three men, bloodline, and just like a tree. The performance by olivia cole is quite remarkableand it does give a very complex and layered view of race in the south during world war ii. Eric ej1097611 motherlove, initiation, poverty, and. Of gaines s other works, bloodline 1976, a collection of five short stories, stands out for its powerful portrayals of young men in search of selfrespect and dignity.
Gaines was born on river lake plantation in oscar, a hamlet of pointe coupee parish in rural louisiana. Yolaine stout a suicidal neardeath experience and what it taught me about life duration. A poor african american boy and his mother experience both discrimin. Discuss the title and why it is significant in relation to the story. Octavia overcomes the hardships of segregation and poverty while doing so. James, the narrator of ernest gaines the sky is gray, is a black child living outside. Character analysis of octavia in the sky is gray by ernest. This physical ailment serves as a narrative catalyst, both driving the action and pulling the readers into a world where poverty coexists with pride, and in which a mother. And that would be around 1983 or 1984, before that schools name was changed to university of loui siana at lafayette. Character analysis of octavia in the sky is gray by ernest j. The sky is gray source for information on the sky is gray by ernest j. As rendered by gaines, this country becomes as familiar, and as haunted by cruelty, suffering, and courage, as ralph ellisons harlem or faulkners. What does each man stand for and what does this conversation mean to them. Finally, take some time to watch as ernest gaines talks about his background and discusses his novel a lesson before dying part of the national endowment for the arts program the big read.
The sky is gray by ernest gaines perspectives on african. Tweet about the sky is gray study guide email the sky is gray study guide to a friend share the sky is gray. Gaines this study guide consists of approximately 53 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the sky is gray. Gaines is best known for his third novel, the autobiography of miss jane pittman 1971, which recounts her latterday observations of living in a. Jul 16, 2010 ernest gaines is one of my favorite writers, and the sky is gray 1963 is one of my favorite short stories. Gaines returns to the cane fields, sharecroppers shacks, and decaying plantation houses of louisiana. Gaines was thirty in 1963, the year in which the sky is gray was first published, but it was not. The sky is gray state college area school district.
He began working the fields when he was nine, digging potatoes for fifty cents a day. The first two stories are told from the perspective of a child, the second from the perspective of a 19yearold, the fourth from the perspective of a 70yearold, and the final from a variety of quickly shifting perspectives. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Afterlife evidence international foundation for survival research recommended for you. Octavia shows the characteristics of a good parent by being stern, loving, and independent. An analysis of james character in the sky is gray by. Gaines the sky is gray commentary by karen bernardo. Gaines james, an eightyearold boy, lives in the outskirts of bayonne in a farming community with his mother, auntie, and siblings. The sky is gray and almos a man, theme comparison essay. 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.
Save up to 80% by choosing the etextbook option for isbn. Although there are several interesting aspects of the story, id like to focus on theme and family structure for this discussion. The article offers the authors insights on the stories the sky is gray, by ernest gaines and sonnys blues, by james baldwin, which are his favorite when introducing to freshmen to develop the love of student for reading. As rendered by gaines, this country becomes as familiar, and as haunted by cruelty, suffering, and courage, as ralph ellisons harlem or faulkners yoknapatawpha county.
Ernest gaines collection of five short stories bloodline, 1968 depicts the. Gaines received a macarthur fellowship more about ernest j. Ernest gaines is one of my favorite writers, and the sky is gray 1963 is one of my favorite short stories. In the sky is gray james learns the art from his mother, octavia. James is an eightyearold black boy who lives in a rural area of the south. James, the narrator of ernest gaines the sky is gray, is a black child living outside bayonne, louisiana during the second world war. Gaines has been a macarthur foundation fellow, awarded the. James seems like anything but a childhood, his mind is plagued with worries and concerns that often belong in the adult realm. Critical analysis of the story the sky is gray by ernest gaines. View notes ernest gaines discussion from gbio 200 at southeastern louisiana university. In his frequently anthologized short story the sky is gray, ernest j.
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