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"I know the boy is there, watching, waving like grass in water"(283).

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"I know the boy is there, watching, waving like grass in water"(283).

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Even after finding out the end of his story, Richie still wasn't able to cross over and as much as Jojo resents him, he still has to move on with his life. Relating back to when Richie was "a swimmer surfacing for air, glistening in the light"(229) as he was about to learn the truth about his death, now he is "waving like grass in water" showing that he lost all hope in finding a way to cross over. Mam was his final option as he tried to ruin her death and drag her down with him, but after that doesn't work, he is stuck at the bottom again. The grass comparison shows how Richie is almost glued to the earth and watches as both the living and the dead are able to live freely.

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"I can hear the smile in her voice, faint. A baring of teeth. 'Maybe that ain't a good way of putting it. Like a well Jojo. Pull that water up when you need it'" (233-234).

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"I can hear the smile in her voice, faint. A baring of teeth. 'Maybe that ain't a good way of putting it. Like a well Jojo. Pull that water up when you need it'" (233-234).

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During her last moments in the world, Mam has a discussion with Jojo, regarding her imminent death. She offers advice to him, while also trying to ease his tensions. She explains compares her knowledge and love for her family to a "well", from which Jojo can "Pull that water up when... need it", symbolizing that Mam will always be accessible to Jojo whenever he or Kayla requires it in their life. This also demonstrates that Mam recognizes the hardships that will face Jojo in the future, and while she will not be there for him, their memories and happiness together will always remain intact.

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"Anger spreads through me: oil over water" (270).

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"Anger spreads through me: oil over water" (270).

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Leonie describes the way that she feels after witnessing Mam's death and Jojo blames her for letting Mam die without helping her. Jojo at this point doesn't realize that Mam actually wanted Leonie to help her have a peaceful death and that Leonie did the right thing for once. Instead of explaining to Jojo what Mam told her before she died, Leonie feels anger rush through her body. The way that Leonie describes her anger: "oil over water" shows how her caring, motherly nature can't be mixed with her anger. This is shown many times throughout the book because Leonie snaps very easily and has a very short temper. She can sometimes be very loving towards her children, but often times that is quickly turned around and replaced by anger. There is no in-between; she is either frustrated and angered or soft and motherly. Just like water and oil, her two characters don't coincide.

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“And Jojo’s straight, straight as Pop, all the little boy gone from his eyes: the tide gone out, the sun scorching the residue of water away, leaving hot sand baking to concrete” (272).

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“And Jojo’s straight, straight as Pop, all the little boy gone from his eyes: the tide gone out, the sun scorching the residue of water away, leaving hot sand baking to concrete” (272).

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After Mam dies, Leonie thinks Jojo is being insensitive and due to the fact that Leonie is already in an emotional state, she loses control and hits Jojo again and again. Once she calms down and realizes she's scaring Kayla, she sees Jojo suddenly as a mature adult. She describes him as "the tide gone out, the sun scorching the residue of water away" as if the water and the tide are his innocence and childish nature. After hitting him, Leonie finally sees that Jojo has withstood so many challenges and hardships throughout his life that he has matured into a man like Pop. The "sun[,] scorching" away his innocence is the realities and difficulties that Jojo has faced in his life. After his own mother hits him across the face, the final drops of water are gone, and "all the little boy [is] gone from his eyes". The only thing left is hot sand, which will eventually turn even harder to concrete if the sun keeps baking it. As life continues to push Jojo, he will become more and more mature or solemn.

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"...Mama takes one long, ripping breath, her breath and blood and spirit beating frantic as a moth caught in a spider's web, and then 'Shhhh', Given says, 'I come with the boat, Mama...Time floods the room in a storm surge"(269).

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"...Mama takes one long, ripping breath, her breath and blood and spirit beating frantic as a moth caught in a spider's web, and then 'Shhhh', Given says, 'I come with the boat, Mama...Time floods the room in a storm surge"(269).

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Leonie finally accepts her gift of seeing Given and watches as he helps take Mama out of her misery. Mama admits to Leonie that she is ready to go, but her actions show other wise as she was "frantic as a moth caught in a spider's web". Mama was dealing with an unbearable pain and Given tells her "I come with the boat". Mama uses water as a way to heal and help others, so Given helping her to the water shows that once she gets "on the boat" and to the water, her pain will be gone. This also relates to how Mam was able to use water to her ability but now as she is dying "time floods the room in a storm surge" showing that she is losing her control over the water.

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"You got to ask him about me," Richie says. He steps out of the shadow and he is a swimmer surfacing for air, glistening in the light"(229).

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"You got to ask him about me," Richie says. He steps out of the shadow and he is a swimmer surfacing for air, glistening in the light"(229).

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Richie has been stuck in a position where he physically can't move on until he knows his death and why River left him. He has been suffering for so long that it's almost like he's slowly been drowning under water just waiting for someone to help him. He see's Jojo as an opportunity to finally achieve his goals and Jojo is like the air he desperately needs. Richie "surfacing for air" correlates to him realizing he is getting closer to the answers he deserves and once he reaches the surface, he can finally be free.

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“I am failing them. We are all drowning” (195).

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“I am failing them. We are all drowning” (195).

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While Leonie is drugged, she dreams about drowning with Jojo, Kayla, and Michael. She describes herself trying to keep everyone else afloat, but failing and succumbing to the waves. Leonie often feels overwhelmed like this in her life because she handles her addiction daily while neglecting her deteriorating relationship with her son and daughter. As much as she wants to be a good mother and be there to support her children, she physically can't because she continues to succumb to her addiction. The water in her dream is another reminder of Leonie's struggle with motherhood. Mam, who is able to call upon the goddess of the sea, coincidently raised her children with love and care. Mam is a good mother and has control of water. Mam protects young Leonie from harsh realities, and she is able to, even though she is sick, take care of and provide comfort to her kids and grandkids. Leonie on the other hand struggles with motherhood and caring for her children. Putting her kids first doesn't come naturally to Leonie and her continuing addiction isn't helping. Leonie feels drowned by the responsibilities that come with being a mother.

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“I leaned forward and put my head in her lap again, and she ran her hands up and down my spine...  All the while shushing like a stream, like she’s taken all the water pouring on the outside world into her, and she was sending it out in a trickle to soothe me... and that she was holding me like the goddess, her arms all the life-giving waters of the world" (159).

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“I leaned forward and put my head in her lap again, and she ran her hands up and down my spine...  All the while shushing like a stream, like she’s taken all the water pouring on the outside world into her, and she was sending it out in a trickle to soothe me... and that she was holding me like the goddess, her arms all the life-giving waters of the world" (159).

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Leonie recalls the hardships she faced as her relationship with Micheal became more prevalent in her life, specifically when she became pregnant with Jojo at a young age. In order to contend with her hardships, Leonie looks to Mam for help. Leonie compares her problems to water "pouring on the outside world" and uncovers Mam's ability to transform the pouring water into "a trickle”, decreasing the severity and magnitude of her troubles. Moreover, Mam acts as a nurturer to Leonie, as she provides Leonie with “all the life-giving waters of the world”. Using the symbol of water, Leonie explains her hardships. while also uncovering Mam's ability to release pain from her life.

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“If you rise, I can take you across the waters of this world to another. This place binds you. This place binds you” (191).

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“If you rise, I can take you across the waters of this world to another. This place binds you. This place binds you” (191).

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Richie describes seeing a white snake speaking to him telling him that It can take him away from Parchman. The snake refers to the waters of Parchman as if they are drowning Richie and trapping him in prison. Water, normally used with a positive connotation, is made to sound more ominous and dangerous. The waters of Parchman, Richie's death, and the suffering he experienced there, are trapping Richie within the walls of the prison. Richie longs to be at home, his home being with River. The other world that is across the waters of Parchman that the snake talks about is Jojo's home with River. The snake is telling Richie that now is his chance to go home to see River.

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"I am trying to keep everyone above the water, even as I struggle to stay afloat...I am failing them. We are all drowning"(195)

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"I am trying to keep everyone above the water, even as I struggle to stay afloat...I am failing them. We are all drowning"(195)

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Leonie describes her current situation as her trying to save her kids from drowning as she is also sinking herself. This shows that Leonie is aware of her flaws and how poorly she has been treating her kids, and that she is still trying to help them. While Mam is able to use water as a gift, Leonie is rejecting it as she tries to "keep everyone above the water". Since she can't accept this gift, the water is actually becoming a negative aspect in her life. She lacks the ability to currently take care of herself or her family because of her drug addiction and as a result, "[they] are all drowning".

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"Once, River told me about the ocean. He said: We got so much water where I’m from. It come down from the north in rivers. Pool in bayous. Rush out to the ocean, and that stretch to the ends of the earth that you can see. It changes colors, he said… Sometimes stormy blue. Sometimes cool gray… You could look at that and know there’s a God” (190).

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"Once, River told me about the ocean. He said: We got so much water where I’m from. It come down from the north in rivers. Pool in bayous. Rush out to the ocean, and that stretch to the ends of the earth that you can see. It changes colors, he said… Sometimes stormy blue. Sometimes cool gray… You could look at that and know there’s a God” (190).

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When recalling his time at Parchman, Richie remembers his conversation with River, which was about River describing his home from before prison. Water represents hope for a new beginning and a return to happiness. The changing colors of the water and its beauty help River connect to God, or his sense of protection from all the dangers and racial prejudices he faces. He uses water as a medium to describe to Richie just how beautiful the world beyond the prison is and drives him to not lose hope, despite all the racial tensions surrounding them.

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“Jojo cuddles the golden girl to his chest and whispers to her as she plays with his ear, and as he murmurs, his voice like the waves of a calm bay lapping against a boat” (140).

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“Jojo cuddles the golden girl to his chest and whispers to her as she plays with his ear, and as he murmurs, his voice like the waves of a calm bay lapping against a boat” (140).

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After she gets sick again, Jojo holds and talks to Kayla to make her feel better. Jojo's voice to Kayla is like calm waves by a boat because Jojo is calming Kayla down and reassuring her that everything is okay. Because she is so young, Kayla can't care for herself yet and relies on Jojo to be there for her and hold her up. Jojo, the ocean is holding Kayla, the boat, afloat. Kayla doesn't know how to navigate life like a boat lost at sea, but because of Jojo's caring nature, he gently guides her through life like calm waves against the boat, taking on a parental role. Having her older brother by her side, caring for her, comforts Kayla when she may feel lost or abandoned by her own mother.

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"'You thirsty, right,' she says... Kayla coughs and grabs at the cup... I want to grab that sippy cup and throw it like she did... she is sucking at the spout... I feel like I lost a game I didn't know I was playing" (116).

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"'You thirsty, right,' she says... Kayla coughs and grabs at the cup... I want to grab that sippy cup and throw it like she did... she is sucking at the spout... I feel like I lost a game I didn't know I was playing" (116).

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Thirst represents the care Kayla needs to receive, and the competition between Leonie and Jojo to provide that care. Since Kayla is sick, Leonie and Jojo attempt to improve her health. Jojo does not trust Leonie and her knowledge to help Kayla due to her careless attitude toward her children and instead believes that her medicine could be harmful. Therefore, Jojo feels that he must protect Kayla from Leonie, and references the fact that he lost a game since Kayla drinks the liquid. Kayla's thirst, or need for care has to be fulfilled by someone, and Leonie and Jojo are fighting for that role in Kayla's life.

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“‘Juice,’ Kayla says. I look at Leonie… Leonie shakes her head. ‘She got to wait’” (124).

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“‘Juice,’ Kayla says. I look at Leonie… Leonie shakes her head. ‘She got to wait’” (124).

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Kayla is thirsty and asks her mom for juice, but Leonie denies her and tells her to wait. Throughout her whole life so far, Kayla has faced the coldness of her mother turning her away when she needs something. Every time Kayla needs care, love, or attention, her mother is never there or willing to give it to her. Leonie's emotional absence in Kayla's life causes Kayla to turn to Jojo when she needs anything, and she looks to him more as a parental figure or caretaker rather than a brother. Her father, Michael has also been absent her whole life, so Jojo is the only person Kayla feels she can lean on in life.

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"Goddamnit, Michaela! Can you get her to drink some of this?"(100)

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"Goddamnit, Michaela! Can you get her to drink some of this?"(100)

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Once again, Leonie's behaviors and actions demonstrate how she is not capable of being a decent mother because of her lack of understanding. Jojo is silent out of fear that she will hit him, but he knows deep down what Kayla needs. He knows that the more water Leonie gives her, the worse the situation will be. Coincidentally, when Jojo was in need of water, Leonie wouldn't help him but when water was the last thing Kayla needed, she forced her to drink. This displays her lack of sympathy towards her kids and how once again, Jojo is a better mother figure than she is. By Leonie's attitude in this quote, we see that she is frustrated and impatient with Kayla. Throughout the novel, we notice that Leonie tends to prioritizes herself, her wants, and her needs over her own children. As a result, the kids are left thirsty for someone to take care of them.

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"I open my stolen bottle and drink the juice down, then pour half... into Kayla's sippy cup" (89).

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"I open my stolen bottle and drink the juice down, then pour half... into Kayla's sippy cup" (89).

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Due to Leonie's attitude towards Jojo and Kayla, she does not provide them with food and water. When Jojo buys juice to drink, he makes sure to leave some for Kayla, despite his undying thirst. This demonstrates the care that Jojo provides for his sister on a regular basis and his giving attitude towards Kayla and the others he loves. This also exemplifies the relationship between Leonie and her children, as she routinely ignores the role that she should take on for her children, exemplifying their need for a parental figure through their thirst.

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"'You thirsty?' I ask. 'Yeah,' she whispers'" (Ward 19).

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"'You thirsty?' I ask. 'Yeah,' she whispers'" (Ward 19).

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Kayla always wants to be with Jojo at night because she sees Jojo as more of a motherly figure than her own mother. This demonstrates how Kayla is thirsty for attention and care from others in her family because she doesn't receive it often. Shortly after, Kayla asks Jojo to sing for her and sometimes she'll ask him to play with her. She looks to Jojo to fill the lack of care and love from her parents.