The story "The Sky Is Gray" by Ernest Gaines is about a day in the life of a mother and son. 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. On this day, James, the son, is taken to the dentist by his "mama", because he has a painful tooth. From this story, James learned three major lessons from the incidents that he witnessed that day which are; standing up for his beliefs, working hard for what he wants, and having compassion for others.

While James and his mother were at the dentist's office, he witnessed a confrontation between a preacher and a student. The student, who is a young black man, confronts the preacher about his beliefs...