https://padlet.com/nlerapallo/sy5vz8yawd5a Nicole Rapallo en-us 2018-03-27 14:51:27 UTC 2018-04-07 20:40:51 UTC hello@padlet.com nlerapallo https://padlet.com/nlerapallo/sy5vz8yawd5a/wish/248851654 In James McBride’s memoir The Color of Water, the themes of racial identity and discrimination can predominantly be seen as the author navigates his way through a life filled with injustices. The author describes his childhood growing up in the Brooklyn Red Hook projects, in the midst of a world where black people are considered to be inferior to white people. Conflicted with his racial identity from a young age, James recalls his perpetual curiosity of his mother, the only white person in his all-black family. The fact that he does not look like her fuels his incessant desire to understand why and who he really is. Despite the tensions between the two races, James and his eleven siblings are sent to all-white schools, courtesy of their mother, to receive proper education. What James receives instead are arrays of cold stares while he eats in the lunchroom, along with racist comments from his classmates, ones that include the forbidden “N-word”. Now, James’s struggle of coming to terms with his true self, is made to be even more difficult as he experiences this first-hand discrimination. He chooses to handle it simply by not saying anything, knowing with a twinge of guilt, that if his classmates had said these remarks to his siblings, they certainly would not have let it go.

Not only does James receive unfair treatment from his peers, but his teachers, undoubtedly fuelled by the color of his skin, often deduct marks from his test scores over trivial mistakes. This discrimination based on race greatly impacts James and his family, with several of his siblings going on to fight “the man” and looking to icons like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King for inspiration. For James, however, he later on realizes that there is no difference between black and white, that some white people will have it much worse than he does as a black man. He longs for there to be no black nor white, but one universal color, as it would be a much easier way to live. Ultimately, The Color of Water follows James McBride on his quest to discover himself, exploring the themes of racial identity and discrimination as he conquers obstacles along the way.  ]]> 2018-04-05 13:07:05 UTC https://padlet.com/nlerapallo/sy5vz8yawd5a/wish/248851654 nlerapallo https://padlet.com/nlerapallo/sy5vz8yawd5a/wish/248854267 There are numerous conflicts in The Color of Water that arise and ultimately shape the lives of the people they affect. One conflict that is dominant throughout the memoir, is the ongoing inner battle James McBride has with himself. This conflict can be seen throughout James’s childhood as he struggles to discover his true identity. It becomes magnified once James loses his stepfather Hunter Jordan, the only black role model in his life. His previous feelings of frustration and uncertainty now violently react with his new feelings of loss. As a result, he descends into a downward spiral, turning to drugs and alcohol as a way of coping. He soon falls in with the wrong crowd, with his grades plummeting and his relationship with his mother rapidly deteriorating. It is only when James later resorts to mugging innocent women for drug money, that the true severity of his downfall can be seen. However, as much as he tries to detach himself, there is nothing stopping the inevitable feelings of guilt as he corners the women and steals their purses. These feelings threaten to consume him, yet he chooses to avoid them by numbing himself with even more drugs and alcohol, “I had no feelings. I had smothered them” (McBride, 142). This passage displays James’s inner battle between acknowledging his feelings for what they are, or turning to unhealthy coping habits such as drugs and alcohol. He is essentially at war with himself, with part of him that is angry and wants to get back at the world for all the times he’s suffered, while the other part feels sorry for all the harm he is causing others. By refusing to accept these feelings and pretending to be someone he is not, James is also attempting to mask the pain of losing his stepfather along with the guilt of abandoning his mother. Fortunately, James is eventually able to resolve this internal conflict by turning to God, and he finally accepts the pain of his past. This acceptance allows him to move forward with his life and gain a new appreciation for the world around him as he conquers yet another difficult obstacle. ]]> 2018-04-05 13:12:55 UTC https://padlet.com/nlerapallo/sy5vz8yawd5a/wish/248854267 nlerapallo https://padlet.com/nlerapallo/sy5vz8yawd5a/wish/248854639 Along with the internal struggles of the author, there is another overshadowing conflict present in The Color of Water and it is the lifelong conflict between Ruth McBride and her father Tateh. It can be seen numerous times as Ruth delves into the memories of her early life, many tainted with the fear of her father. One passage in particular that clearly conveys friction between the two is when Ruth recalls being molested by Tateh when she was a child. This violation of her privacy causes Ruth to be drained of any remaining love she has for her father, “I was afraid of Tateh and had no love for him at all. I dreaded him and was relieved anytime he left the house” (McBride, 42). Ruth reveals that as a result of this trauma, she developed a low self-esteem as well as a fear of domineering people. Although this was not the first time Tateh had been abusive to her or her family, it is perhaps the most defining moment in their relationship, where Ruth realizes that she cannot live in that household forever. 

At the age of nineteen, she gathers up the courage to leave her family in Suffolk, moving to Harlem with her black boyfriend Dennis. She feels guilty for abandoning her mother Mameh and her sister Dee-Dee, but the resentment of her father is enough to keep her away. However, when Mameh falls ill shortly after, Ruth goes back home to tend to her. Tateh reveals to her that he knows she is planning to marry Dennis and that if she does, she is not welcome back home. Ruth leaves anyways, unaware of the seriousness of Tateh’s threat until Mameh is hospitalized. Ruth tries to come back home but is forbidden to visit her, and Mameh eventually dies without her being able to say goodbye. Tateh’s grasp on Ruth not only affects the relationship she holds with him but even causes her to miss the last breaths of her mother, someone she actually loved. Ultimately, Ruth’s conflict with Tateh influences her and the events that later unfold in her life, such as running away and falling in love with a black man. Although it caused her to give up her family and miss important moments, it also became the motivation she needed to start a new and better life on her own.]]> 2018-04-05 13:13:48 UTC https://padlet.com/nlerapallo/sy5vz8yawd5a/wish/248854639 nlerapallo https://padlet.com/nlerapallo/sy5vz8yawd5a/wish/248859007 The Color of Water, while it acts as an outlet for the blessings and tragedies of James McBride’s life, also serves as a heartwarming tribute to his mother Ruth. In the memoir, she is portrayed by her son as a strong-willed woman who does not let the opinions of others influence her. She refuses to give importance to issues like race or economic status, insisting that family and education are the most important things in life. Her ideals perfectly coincide with her lifestyle, being the only white Jewish woman living in a black neighbourhood, constantly judged for her association with black people. When her son James grapples with the colour of his skin from a young age, he turns to his mother for answers. However, Ruth’s answers never focus on race like James wants them to, instead emphasizing the value of education and God. 

This sensible and wise persona of her is displayed throughout the memoir but is accentuated in what is perhaps its most meaningful passage, where James asks her what the colour of God is. At first, Ruth tries to argue that God is a spirit and spirits do not have a colour. James is persistent, however, and continues to ask until Ruth finally responds, “It doesn't have a color. God is the color of water. Water doesn’t have a color,” (McBride, 51). Without favouring one race over the other, Ruth explains to James that God is the color of water, therefore He does not give race any importance, and neither should he. This passage, from which the memoir assumes its name, highlights Ruth’s enlightened character and ability to put aside her status as a white woman, so to not cloud the judgment of her son. However, living in a world plagued with racism and segregation, it is unsurprisingly difficult for James to understand where his mother is coming from. Clearly, Ruth’s confidence in her beliefs sets her apart from her son and ultimately, the rest of society. When James grows older and finds God for himself, it enables him to finally accept Ruth’s response and realize that race is truly not as important as he always believed it to be. Conclusively, the character of Ruth McBride is one that emanates wisdom and courage, and with her unwavering belief in God and the power of knowledge, undoubtedly serves as an inspiration to all. 

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