The Color of Water

The Color of Water written by James Mcbride is an intriguing book. James is well known for writing this book as well as Song Yet Sung and Miracle At St. Anna. The Color of Water shows the authors struggle to understanding his Jewish mother and racial concerns. His mother , Ruth, Married a black man, Dennis, and had a total of eight kids with him and later had four kids with Hunter Jordan. James was Dennis' last child and James was not born until after Dennis had died with lung cancer. Ruth went to her family for support, but they refused because she left them and they decided not to be apart of her life any more. All of his siblings leave after being accepted into colleges and later have successful careers.

Ruth Mcbride's refusal to reveal her past showed that her past really affected her. She does not want her kids to be racial like her parents were. Ruth tends to blind them from that life style and allow them to grow up making there own decisions in life.She is dead in that her identity is swallowed by her love for her children because her earlier life was totally against Ruth's beliefs and that is how she is "dead" in that her children are her life and no one else. These contradictions that Ruth has confused her children as they were young, but later as they matured they realized how hard she tried not to have to rely on others. This gave James his humanity to work hard and be the best he could be.

Ruth's three name changes signifies her three different lives. With each name came a different belief as well as a different way of life. She went from being Polish Jewish were she was welcomed by her family to marrying a none Jew and being disowned from her family. She then decided along with Dennis to convert to Christianity.

Tateh is stuck on his beliefs and the way he was raised. He is to stubborn to see the real world. Ruth succeeded in life because she was able to look into the world and make her own decisions no matter what the cost. They both encourage there children to succeed. Tateh made his kids choices for them and Ruth took what she had learned and allowed her kids to be confused and question everything and this taught them to make there own decisions. James' mother shows him how being racial limits you through life. She teaches them to pay no mind to there outside qualities, but there inner as well such as she did as a child. James had a difficult time with his decision on what to do because his mother allowed her kids to decide unlike her parents who forced upon their kids on how life was going to go.

The title of the book The Color of Water says allot about race and religion. God is known to be the color of water and accepts any race under any religion. There are so many races and religions that makes up the color of the water. Water has no defined shape or color, therefore there is no wrong or right way to live ones life. This is the vision it offers to me as well as many , a world of many opportunities and challenges.

James views people and events that are marked in this novel to be ignorant. He believed that writing this book would help him answer his questions, which it has but not all of them. People are blinded by whats around them and that influences them. James wants people to realize life for what it is and not for what it may give you.

This book really taught me allot. It made me realize allot more about this world and what decisions are to be made. The Color of Water opened my eyes to the world especially on religion. I have been raised to be a Christian and i want to explore other religions as well as races to i can educate myself to make decisions on my own. I recommend this book to anyone. Even if one has already made their decisions, but do not be afraid that this book will change ones mind. The Color of Water will only open ones eyes to the world in which is inhabited by humans of all kinds.

Adam F.