"The Sky Is Gray" by Ernest J. Gaines

Do you know what it takes to raise a family as a single parent? In Ernest J. Gaines "The Sky Is Gray", Octavia finds out the hard way. Set in Louisiana, Octavia is forced to raise her family by herself when her husband is sent off to war. Octavia overcomes the hardships of segregation and poverty while doing so. Octavia shows the characteristics of a good parent by being stern, loving, and independent.
<Tab/>Octavia is a well-rounded character because she is stern. She uses sternness to teach her children to be independent. One way Octavia shows sternness is by not allo…