He may not like hugs and sentimental words, but he shows his affection in other, less obvious ways. Octavia is teaching her son how to be resilient with her tough love. The last line of The Sky is Gray is “'You're not a bum,' he says. 'You are a man'” (Gaines 14). This line is, in its own way, Octavia telling her son that she is proud of him. James is becoming the man she wants him to be. Unfortunately, due to his race, James may face many difficulties in his life. But thanks to his mother, he will be ready to survive and hopefully get through this