The Secrets Of Ruth's The Color Of Water

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 racist father. She kept those secrets from everyone for a reason. Who was to blame her, why revisit those hurtful moments of her past? One of the most difficult secrets Ruth kept to herself from her family was one she suffocated deep down. Her father had often sexually abused her as a child. Ruth sadly shares with her son James “ My father did things to me when I was a young girl I could not tell anyone about. Such as getting in bed with me at night and doing things sexually with …show more content…
Which at that time in 1936 was not something that could happen. Ruth says in the story “ Not just the Ku Klux Klan but the regular white folks in town would’ve killed him.” (Hunter pg.111) At that time white people would kill black folks and did not get in trouble with the law. Under the circumstance Ruth had to get rid of her pregnancy, she had to do it with no one knowing anything. Her mother knew so that saved her and Peters life, she sent her to New York where Ruth’s aunt took her to get an abortion. Sadly, keeping that a secret was for their own