The Color of Water

The Color of Water, by James McBride is a story about the racial issues in society. James was a successful novelist and wrote The Color of Water, Miracle at St.Anna, and Song Yet Sung. James McBride wants to try and find his identity throughout the story. Mr. McBride was the middle child of twelve. He also tells how his mothers color influenced his life and his struggles.

Mrs. Ruth McBride was not happy about her past. She did not like to speak about it. She also kept her past life from her children. When they would ask her a question about her past she would change the subject. The children including James were wondering what her life consisted of and there mothers life. Ruth kept her life from them to make sure there lives were close to others. She begins the story by telling her son James she is “dead”. This was because she did not want to talk about her past. Ruth married a black man and her parents were upset and left her. Ruth’s parents were Jewish and did not believe in interracial marriage.

Ruth had gotten married and had four kids with a man named Mr. Jordan. Mr. Jordan later passed away and Ruth was faced with raising four kids. She wanted here kids to go to white school manly for the academics. Ruth’s humanity became more balanced as her children matured.

Ruth’s named changed several times during the story. Her first name was “Ruchel Dwaira Zylska” was her name given to her as a child. Then she changed her name to “Rachel Deborah Shilsky” as she grew up and matured when Ruth got married for the second time her name changes to “ Ruth McBride Jordan”.

Ruth and Tateh ran a very stricken household with stricken rules. The way Ruth and her father Tateh were different was because Tateh let race affect his family and Ruth did not. That is the reason why Ruth was successful at life. Throughout the story James tried to figure out his mothers past. He finally did and he found out that his mother was Jewish. He soon then discovered that Ruth’s dad was a rabbi.

The title of this book fits it 100%. The Color of Water brought a whole new meaning to the word “race” in society. The Color of Water is clear and no matter what, the story is teaching the world that no matter what color you are, were all the same.

The Color of Water was a powerful book. It changed they way I view society today with all of the racism.

BRIAN NEWMAN