The Color Of Water Essay

Improved Essays
Different people deal with traumatic events, such as the loss of a loved one, in diverse ways. In the story The Color of Water, we read about a deaths that occurred inside of Ruth's family. One of the most significant deaths was that of Hunter Jordan, Ruth's husband and Jame's stepfather. James and Ruth were equally affected by Hunter Jordan's death. As a way to cope with their loss, Ruth and James began to pick up hobbies they had never tried before, and act in ways they previously hadn't. Though James and Ruth clearly dealt with their losses in different ways, their coping techniques were also very alike. Ruth obviously loved her husband very much. When he died, Ruth became deeply depressed. She desperately tried to hide and …show more content…
He watched as his "strong, easygoing, seemingly infallible" stepfather was extremely sick and unhealthy (McBride 5). He felt frightened and clueless in regard to helping his family, and himself deal with Hunter Jordan's death. When Hunter Jordan died, James was so numb and grief-stricken that he did not know what to do with himself. He became indubitably depressed and emotionally capricious. James began to fall into temptation with drugs, theft, and thing of the like. He would spend his days "cutting school, smoking reefer, waving razors and riding the subway" while hanging out with the thugs from The Corner (McBride 6). James got so caught up in the criminal lifestyle that he "virtually dropped out of high school...failing every class" (McBride 6). James was concealing his feelings of anger and depression by acting out and engaging in self-deleterious behavior after the loss of his stepfather. In The Color of Water, we read about the tragic loss of a husband and stepfather, and the events that followed. Although the loss of Hunter Jordan affected James and Ruth differently, they both reacted to the situation in similar ways. Both James and Ruth started doing things they had never done before as a way to keep them distracted. The details of how they dealt with their losses vary; however it is easy to draw parallels in each of their coping

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Gathering Blue

    • 688 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Gathering Blue, by Lois Lowry, is a dystopian novel that centers around a character named Kira, who is born crippled. The novel starts off with the unfortunate news that Kira’s mother, Katrina, has passed away unexpectedly due to mysterious illness. She is now orphaned, since her father, who had the role of serving in the Council of the Guardians, had been killed by The Beasts during a hunt. In addition to struggling to survive without any parents or support from relatives, Kira must prove herself worthy to the Council, otherwise, she will be sent to the Field, where the disabled are left to be killed by The Beasts. Fortunately, Jamison, a member of the council, defends her during the trial against Vandara, the accuser who wants to occupy Kira’s…

    • 688 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    One day she found out was pregnant and seeked help from her aunt in New York City. Her aunt did not accept her being with Peter but she helped Ruth with an abortion. When she went back home, Ruth was heartbroken when she found Peter with another pregnant woman whom he decided to marry. After high school, Ruth worked in her aunt’s leather factory and fell in love with Andrew McBride. Since he was also black, Ruth’s family disowned and was considered dead by her family.…

    • 1438 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Color of Water, a blacks man tribute to his white Jewish mother. In the story there are many secrets that exist and the burden of them tears people and relationships apart. Individuals sometimes keep hurtful, embarrassing situations and memories as secrets from their loved ones for their own protection. There were many secrets a couple that I understand why they weren’t told. The secret of Ruth’s sexual abuse by her father, when Ruth became pregnant by Peter in Suffolk, Virginia and of Ruth’s…

    • 595 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    They knew that they were getting a very valuable player. There was a myth that went around the because they bought his contract that the “ curse of bambino” would not let them win. The curse haunted the Yankees until 2004 where they won the world series. The Yankee’s on the other hand were very happy to have the Babe Ruth on there team. But Babe Ruth also was known for the things that he did off the field.…

    • 727 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In The Color of Water by James McBride the stories of Rachel/Ruth and James who are in two different families are told. Each story explains the expectations and values, the difficulties, the changes and the lesson learned from both Rachel/Ruth and James. Rachel went through many struggles with leaving her Jewish family and starting alone to raising twelve children using some of resources she still had from her family. On the other hand, James hardships came with having a white mother and himself being black and not being able to identify himself with one group or the other. Rachel Shilsky was born in Poland an orthodox Jew, at the age of 2 she was brought to America and faced several hardships in the years to come.…

    • 818 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    He believes that he had done everything in his power to be a righteous man. James was content with how his family dynamic was before and felt victimized when Dana attempted to change it. When she indicates that she is not content with constantly being hidden, he feels as though she is being selfish by asking him to give more of himself. By accusing Gwen and Dana of destroying his life, James reveals his true character. He is a man that constantly hides from the truth; he does not want to admit that he has failed as a…

    • 1319 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride displays the possible struggles of finding one’s sense of self, as well as coming to terms with it. The essence of who we are derives from a part, or parts, that are fixed, but then is shaped by our loved ones, peers, and society. Our origins serve as point A in our journey. In the novel, the main characters- both James McBride and his mother, Ruth McBride Jordan- strained in their relationship with their beginnings.…

    • 1000 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Is Water Really Wet Essay

    • 870 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Water is colorless, odorless, and some might even say tasteless, but we would not even exist without it. Water is a transparent liquid and covers more than 71 percent of Earth’s surface. Water has been used and recycled throughout the course of history. Water has many properties and we rely on it for our survival. Since water is one of the basic needs of life, you would be surprised how much controversy comes with it.…

    • 870 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Ruth ended up getting married and moving to Oakland Hills only coming back to see her family one time. She always caused arguments and her actions caused her family fall apart. Ruth might be considered the bad daughter because of the way she tore apart her family making it hard for them to get along because needed to be the favorite, the center of attention, disappoint her father, and move away never to…

    • 1979 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This finding made James curious, but does not challenge his identity as he knows who he is. James figures out that he could never be like his father; “But everyone can’t be like Bob, or Rev. McBride, or even Ruth McBride. People are different. Times change” (253). James realizes that race and religion help define his identity, but his identity does not revolve around his race, his mother,…

    • 1329 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    If the story had started off with the death of James’ father, revealing the underlying…

    • 1361 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    As the son of Ruth, James McBride had many struggles during his growing up trying to figure out his identity. James wrote this book because he spent time tracking down his mother’s life-story, wanting to learn about her so that he could get a better understanding of who he was. James later said, “It took many years to find out who she was, partly because I never knew who I was” 4. There were times in James’s life when he didn’t know if he should identify as black or white, and if it was possible to protect both…

    • 1475 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In The Color of Water by James McBride, the aspect of life that has shaped Ruth McBride’s identity the most is religion. Religion is the aspect of life that has shaped Ruth’s identity the most because when she changed her religion, she changed her identity. Ruth switched from Judaism to Christianity when her mother died and she shows the reader how she also changed her identity.…

    • 767 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Does everyone have the willpower to display ‘moral courage’? No. Not everyone does. But for those who do often suffer consequences and are often remembered by all that witnessed their moral courage. Say one day you are caught in a storm, all the roads are ridiculously slippery, and then you see a car swerving toward a little boy.…

    • 487 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Although the process amy be difficult, it is worth it to ensure healing. In Barbara Kingsolver 's Poisonwood Bible, the Price family suffer the loss of their youngest member, Ruth May: daughter of Orleanna and Nathan Price and sister to Leah, Adah and Rachel. Similarly, In Ann-Marie MacDonald 's Fall on Your…

    • 2519 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Superior Essays