The Struggle In The Color Of Water By James Mcbride

When individuals are caught up in the past, it is hard for them to move forward. Often these individuals struggle with their emotion and try to avoid the problem instead of tackling it and moving forward. It is usually when these individuals aren’t ready to move on, that they find different ways to cope their struggle, such as turning to drugs and avoiding their loved ones. However this way of avoidance coping keeps them chained to their past, unable to break from it and come to a resolution. It takes time for that individual to be able to face their problem and find ways to grow from it, but when they do, they are finally able to break from the past. Like James McBride in the Color of Water, he goes through a large emotional conflict that …show more content…
One important person that helps him tackle his situation is Chicken Man. McBride says that “I had never heard Chicken Man talk so severely and what he said didn’t really hit me, not right away” (150). Even though McBride doesn’t immediately understand his problem, it’s okay because Chicken Man at least makes it a starting point. His words take a gradual effect on McBride and this is the point where he is finally going to start building himself back up. He finally takes into account his mother’s emotional conflict. He says “I wanted to give up...but I couldn’t...my mother was falling apart” (163). Here McBride is able to tackle his situation. He sees his mother as his big motivation to keep himself from giving up. In order to unify his family relationship with his mother again, he must go through Hunter’s death with her. McBride finally isn’t running away anymore. His perseverance to make an effort and to prohibit himself from falling back into the world of drugs and stealing ultimately manifests in his ability to become a more resolute individual. When McBride finally starts on the road that is leaving his past behind, he takes his newfound maturity and begins his blank canvas. He says “I need to see some new faces, a fresh start” (177). McBride is leaving his old friends, the ones who would steal and do drugs with him. By …show more content…
Although his transition was gradual, it was a better for him to cope slowly in order to reassure a fresh start. He promises himself this fresh start saying, “I resolved to jump back into my studies and rebuild myself” (161). Here McBride pledges to continue his education, which is a big part of his future. If he would’ve kept skipping school, it would’ve been hard for him to find a job. By getting back into his education, he secures a better future for himself with a good start. McBride also gets back into his religion. He “lay in bed at night praying...and I began to change” (161). By making religion one of his motivations to rebuild himself, McBride can connect with his mother again because she is very religious as well. His ability to rely on his religion shows that he has the ability to find hope and believe again. Back before Chicken Man, McBride seemed to rely on himself since he thought he was so smart. Now, he is able to rely on his religion to help him reintegrate his relationship with his family and loved ones. The McBride house was an important symbol that represented his family’s past. He finally says “our house had fallen into tremendous despair...I was ready to move” (177). This passage shows that the house held negative emotions and memories for his family. So by letting go and moving from the house, he