On one hand, Alnest is little more than an offstage voice, the voice of an old man cautioning Helena, his wife, against the cold. On the other, he is one of only two sympathetic white characters in Gaines's story (Helena is the other). Though the motivation for their careful charity is not described, it is ultimately accepted, the suggestion being that whatever their motivation may be, their small generosity will only be accepted as kindness, not as charity.
Like James and James's mother, the source for James's aunt is drawn from Gaines's own experience, modeled after his own great aunt, Augustine Jefferson. Though her presence in "The Sky is Gray" is minimal, Augustine's presence in Gaines's life can hardly be overstated: "Unless you include her," he says, "you can't write about me.....
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