Character Analysis
 

James McBride - James is Ruth's son and the narrator of The Color of Water. He wrote this book in order to find himself in a sense. He went into his mother's past and his own past, he hoped to find a better understanding of his my mothers ideas in racial, religious, and social identity. James tells of the events of his life and experiences he also express his sense of being lost and not knowing his past.

Questions about his racial identity plagued James's childhood and early life. James always saw race as important. When the racial changes of the 1960s came through New York, James had difficulty with the rise of black power with the fact that his mother was white. James was constantly embarrassed by his mother's whiteness, because it was a sign of her difference from his peers and their parents. As James grew older, however, he began to accept his mother more easily, embracing her eccentricities rather than resenting them.

After his stepfather died, James fell into a phase of drug use and crime. As he matured, he began to understand the consequences of that wasted time and intelligence. His friends in Louisville Kentucky warned him of the consequences of his behavior. He had always liked music and writing, he began to invest himself more seriously in those activities. James began to mature not only out of concern for his own future, but also because he felt increased responsibility to his family because of his stepfather's death. James In fact was a boy aprat from his mother in my eyes, James used this book to come to terms with his mothers whiteness.
 
 

Dear, James
I have read your book one more time it seems like i learn something new every time that I open it. All the struggles you went through in your life have thought me so stay looking forward never to the back. I am now going through hard times at home with my family it seems like everything i do is not good enough for anyone. But like i said your book has kept me strong never to weaken so I never to much mind to it i do not want to turn crazy thinking about it. I have other things to think about like my schoolwork and being someone in the future.

Dear, Ruth
Life is no game but the way you make will always make it the same most times its up to you. Make the right choices having a baby under age shouldn’t be one. Give yourself time to grow before you think about having a son there's gonna be more than one chance.  just take your time with romance with something so good never think its wrong just be strong so u can see life is great and its what you make it out to be
sincerely, Gaoussou Lelenta
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Color of water summary chapters 7-13

chapter 7

The characters in this chapter included Ruth, Sam, Tateh, and Dee-Dee. Ruth is The main figure of the book, she is the big-hearted mother of James and eleven other children. She is a Polish Jewish immigrant, she is spiritual, intelligent, determined, practical, and brave. She always stresses the importance of work, school, and God all the time. Sam is Ruth’s brother and he is up right strong individual he is also very sweet. Tatch Ruth’s fathers very high expectations for his children. Dee-Dee is Ruth’s younger sister. Dee-Dee was a shy pretty girl and less strong-willed then Ruth.

In this chapter Ruth talks about how much she doesn’t like the k she describe how much she doesn’t like them. She also describes her older brother Sam who is a sweet and somewhat timid boy who ran away from home at the age of fifteen, he ran away because of his father of Tatch expectations. he was a dextrally difficult person. Sam joined the army and was later killed in WW2.

Chapter 8

The characters of this chapters are Dennis Helen Jack and James. James is the main charter of the book on of Ruth’s adopted children. Dennis is Ruth first husband and James biological father. He dieted of cancer very young age. he was a violinist, gentle and strong was father of eight of the 12 children. Helen was James sister and she quite school and became a hippie one quote she said was “I reject white man Education ”. James lives with Jack in Louisville, Kentucky for three summers during his teenage years. James regards her as sweet and fun, but she is also serious. I felt that in this chapter James uncle had to much pressure on him I don’t think I could handle all the pressure that was put on him. I also get a lot of pressure put on me by my teacher and friends and family the only way I deal with it is to not stress it and just do the right thing
 

Chapter 9

In this chapter, Ruth talks about
the all the experiences of being Jewish in the South during the first part of the twentieth century she talks about all her hardships . Ruth went through constant ridicule at school and on the street by her peers. She wanted to get away from it all the time she wanted a way out of her life.  She had difficulty making friends there, but she found one true childhood friend in a gentile girl who accepted Ruth's Jewish background. Ruth tells the devastating poverty that hurt both white and black people in Suffolk.

This story Is really said to see how both white and black people were so much alike in Suffolk but they couldn’t see past their skin to realize it. I felt that the racism Ruth had to go through made he the woman she is today. The way Ruth couldn’t find friends really affected me a lot because felt that that was so wrong but she found a friend.  Most towns back in that day were like that but things are much different today in Suffolk.
 
 
 

Chapter 11 is called Boys. In this chapter you will learn how Ruth's father is very prejudice. Ruth speaks about her teenage years her father never bought her new clothes or new shoes. She always wore second hand clothes and shoes. One time she wanted a pair of white moccasin type shoes. To get them she had to beg her father for them. They got to a store to buy her shoes and she tries on these shoes and they fit her about two sizes big, but she still bought them because she knew it was her only chance to get new shoes. She went to school with them and the kids made fun of her because her feet looked too big so after that she never wore them again. In this chapter we also meet her boyfriend Peter. Peter is black and since Ruth's family is prejudice, they keep their love a secret. Towards the end of the chapter she gets pregnant buy Peter. She is only 14 years old. After a while her mother suspected something because she found Ruth's bracelet behind the store where Ruth and Peter always met. She decided to send Ruth to New York. I didn't like this chapter because Ruth's parents were prejudice. What could I say? Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. I also thought Ruth should have been more careful with herself. She should have mad better decisions.