Beginning of Essay
The title of the story “” by Ernest Gaines is ironic. It suggests at first the bleak mood of the story but also hints at hope in the future. Just as the clouds clear after a storm, James finds out on his trip to Bayonne that the stormy clouds that are his li ....

Middle of Essay
.... that “” and that there isn’t much grass. Even the clothing that they wear is very dull-colored! James’ mother is “wearing that black coat and that black hat.” The story takes place during a war, which contributes to the overall gloomy setting of the story. “I wonder when us go’n see him again…Look like he ain’t ever coming home,” James laments, showing that his father went into the war and most likely is dead. The father’s absence leaves his family without adequate food, money, or manpower. The family’s poverty (which is partially due to the father’s absence) makes their future seem hopeless. The family lives in a po ....