In "The Sky Is Gray" by Ernest J. Gaines and "Almos' A Man" by Richard Wright, the two main characters display different levels of maturity. In "The Sky Is Gray" Gaines shows how poverty has caused James's maturity to grow, while in "Almos' A Man" Wright shows how Dave tries to prove his maturity by purchasing a gun. The factors that influence and help to shape James and Dave into men include both their environment and interactions with and discipline of their mothers.

In "The Sky Is Gray" James displays his maturity early on when he is waiting at the bus stop with his mother to go to the dentist's office. His mind was on his mother and whether she had left enough wood to keep the family warm, if it was going to rain, and if the hog was going to get out. He knew that his...