Monday, November 23, 2009
The Color of Water--Passage Analysis 1
Directions: Pick 8-10 lines from The Color of Water (you can use any lines up to page 95). Once you pick the passage, write a 250 word response about the passage. Consider all of the following: Why is the passage important? What new information do we receive from this passage? How does the passage help us understand the character better? How does the passage relate to other parts of the text?
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Passage: "Mommy's tears....I asked her whether God was black or white" (pg.50)
One of the main themes of The Color of Water is the internal struggle that occurs for James, the main character. James struggles over the course of the book to find out who he is. In this passage, James struggles to understand the color of God. He asks his mother whether God is black or white. This question mirrors what he often asks his mother about his own background. Coming of age as a young black man being brought up by a white mother is a source of struggle for James. He struggles to find out who he is and why the people that raise him do not look like him. His mother ignores his questions about God in the same way she ignores his questions about his own identity. The lack of clarity about his identify leaves James with more confusion and sense of loss as he grows older. Another interesting point brought up by this passage is the pain that his mother is suppressing. Often, James’ mother seems cold and unfeeling. However, in this passage, we see that she is hiding a great deal of pain. James notes that his mother always cries in church, maybe indicating that this is the only place that she feels that she can put her guard down. James notes that his mother’s tears came from a place far away, maybe showing the connection between her great pain and her upbringing. The mother’s suppressed pain might help explain why she rarely provides James with answers to his identity questions. Explaining to James his Jewish heritage would mean that his mother would have to explore her confusing and painful past. It is clear from the chapters that we read about her upbringing that she is working hard to escape her past.
Zeraida Torres
“To further escape from painful reality, I created an imaginary world for myself…as I talked to myself.” (pg 90-91)
This passage is very important and powerful because it tells the reader a lot about James’s feelings. At times he goes to the bathroom and look at the person in the mirror, who looked just like him. He’d talk to him, shout at him, and abuse him verbally. He was jealous of the boy in the mirror, of how he was never hungry, probably had his own bed, and his mom wasn’t white.
In this passage, you can tell that James feels small against his brothers and sisters. His brothers and sisters would scream at him, order him around and James couldn’t do anything about it. With the boy in the mirror, James was the one in charge, “unlike my siblings, he had no opinions.” James could shout at the boy abuse him verbally and the boy couldn’t do anything about it.
The passage also shows how James feels ashamed. He’s ashamed that his mother is white and that his family is different. Every time they go outside people always makes rude comments towards his mother or his brothers and sisters. The boy in the mirror doesn’t have to deal with those problems. His life was simple and he felt no pain, while in James’s life on the other hand he felt like the black sheep of the family and he felt ashamed of his mother. He began hating the boy in the mirror because he had everything James wanted. The boy in the mirror was free and James hated him for it.
Alma Cayasso November 23, 2009
Ms.Wondwossen English 12
James Internal Conflicts
James Mcbride’s “ The color of water” is a book written as a tribute to his Jewish
mother. It also describes the issues that he faced being a black boy with a “white”
mother. All the while facing internal conflicts with himself.
While he was in fifth grade at P.S 138 in Rosedale, Queens James faced the
problem of unfortunately being the token negro in a Jewish community. He never
actually felt comfortable in school, he always felt alienated from the others. For
example:
“ One afternoon as the teacher dutifully read aloud from our history book’s one
page on Negro History, someone in the back of the class whispered, “ James is a
Nigger!” followed by tittering and giggling across the room. The teacher shushed him
and glared but the damaged had been done. I felt the blood rush to my face and sank low
in my chair, seething inside, yet I did nothing. I imagined what my siblings would have
done. They would have gone wild. They never would have allowed anyone to call them a
nigger. But I was not them. I was shy and passive and quiet and only later did the anger
come bursting out of me.”
This quotation shows how much of a struggle it was for James to attend school
each day. To have to deal with the bullying and having no friends and how much of a toll
it took on him. He eventually and unfortunately learned to bottle up his emotions and
repress them. Which is the result of not having someone to talk to. He learns to develop a
imaginary world for himself to escape to as a place for momentary bliss. A place where
he was distracted to the point of forgetting who he was and having no worries. This
quote shows how much the environment and the people around him effected him. I think
this passage really gave the readers insight on James life.
passage: "she insisted on absolute privacy,excellent school grades, and trusted no outsiders of either race"
James had a wondering mind, thoughts of his existence and who he truly was. His mother whom would not answer any of his questions towards race would only recommend James to continue his studies. Living in a world where her own kind dis honed her, mom thought everyone was an undercover enemy. This passage follows through and haunts James even more as he gets older. James noticed differences, and began too put the puzzle pieces together as to who or what he was.
Wanting to know whether he was actually black or white, James will ask his mother who would always answer in her own manner the same way every time or maybe with a little sarcasm involved. Knowing her children were black, Mom will always bring up education and scold the kids about it. Just with high hopes that her on of her many children will survive the world, just a little more lightly then she had. Being that she is all they have and they are all she has, the limits are greater on both parties.
The Color of Water...
“When I was a boy, I used to wonder where my mother came from, how she got on this earth. When I asked her where she was from, she would say, “God made me,” and change the subject. When I asked her if she was white, she’d say, “No. I’m light-skinned,” and change the subject again. Answering questions about her personal history did not jibe with Mommy’s view of parenting twelve curious, wild, brown-skinned children. (Pg.21)
In this passage the main character James goes through a lot of confusion. As a young child he was curious about many things, like any other child would be. For a boy like James he was curious why he was light brown and his mother was white. James always asked his mommy where did she come from but she never really gave him an answer. Everything James learned about his mommy he learned it from his brothers and sisters. This is an important passage because it shows how the lack of attention from a mother can really confuse a child and it may affect them in the future. James struggle throughout the book to find out who he is.
We also learn from this passage that this has been going on since James was a child. This passage helps us understand James life because he was confused about how the world worked as a child until he was growing up. He didn’t like the fact that he was different from his mom. This relates to James life in many ways. For example: when James mommy walked him to the bus every morning everyone stared and nobody would stand near his mother. This shows that his mommy is afraid to tell her children about her identity maybe because of how her childhood was.
Yanil Madera
Gabriel Rubio
At the beginning of chapter ten from pg 85 to 87 is when James really tells us about his mom and her attitude towards Jewish people. You can tell his mom has strong feelings against her own kind by the way she speaks of them to her children. The way his mom spoke of Jewish people made James realize that Jewish people were different from white people. They spoke differently, dressed differently, and treated black people differently. Even though he is half-Jewish James never really felt any connection to them. The only real connection he has to the Jews is his mother other than that he feels nothing. Even though his mom is always speaking bad of the Jews there is one thing she agrees with the Jews on and that’s how they go about the education of their children. That’s why she sends all her kids to predominantly Jewish public schools, so James has to travel an hour and a half just to go to a school where he is the only black kid and has no friends. He must feel bad because on top of the fact that he doesn’t know if he’s black or white his mom goes and complicates things for him as if his life isn’t complicated already. To be twelve and to have what is going on in his head happen is not good no matter what way he looks at it. Sometimes you should just leave some questions unasked because you probably won’t be ready at the age of twelve to hear the answers.
Israel J. Armijos
English 12
“ Looking back, I realize that I never felt any kinetic relationship to Jews...partly through my elder siblings.” (Chapter 10, page 86)
“The Color of Water” by James McBride focuses one part of the memoir on his childhood with his strict Jewish mother and his annoying, bullying siblings. I find this quote very strong and important as it has the author himself to think that he has nothing to with the Jewish community. The only thing that he sees close to being Jewish are his siblings. I also think what is important is that James, during this time, didn't knew the fact that his mother was actually a Jew. This idea made him think further of why his mother was white but him and siblings are black.
James' curiousity about the Jews soon went deeper as his mother began to explain more about them. But when she did, James felt that the Jews are different from whites as he did had some experiences with some Jewish Teachers which he claimed to be kind and genuine. His mother Ruth must've told him negative things about them. He also thought that his mother was Jewish (which she was) as she kept on forcing him and his siblings to Jewish Schools. This evidence was soon proven strong when there was a school offer to send kids through any desired school district for a limited time. Ruth accepted as fast as she could and sent her kids in Jewish Schools only.
This quote is also quite interesting as the author said that a part of him could identify Jews. He sees this in his mother because of the aformentioned statements and he could see this in his siblings. One of his sisters, Rosetta has college education, something their mother wanted and his older brother, Dennis' wisdom as he respected any Jewish friends that he made. All of these information could bring James one step closer to the difference between him and his mother. Now, if his mother stopped making things worst for him and just told him the truth, the two of them would've lived better.
"Although each of us had drawn from the same bowl of crazy logic Mommy served up, none seemed to share my own confusion. "Are we black or white?" I asked my brother David one day.
"I'm black," said David, sporting his freshly grown Afro the size of Milwaukee. "But you may be Negro, You better check with Billy Upstairs." (pg.93)
In The Book "The Color of Water" By James McBride, James is growing up confused about who he really is. He asks his mother Ruth what color he is but she never really answers, so then he goes to ask his older siblings and they don't really explain anything either. "When I asked her where she was from, she would say, 'God made me..what i learned of Mommy's past i learned from my siblings.'" (pg.21) His mom wouldn't speak about anything but James seemed to be very curious about his mother's background. This passage is very important because its kids nature to be curious especially when they think their different or when their mother is different from any other mother. His mother was white very rare in his neighborhood. Every other mother was colored and their children were as well. James struggle with understanding his life and everything that surround it. To add to that nobody helped he ones went to school and he got called a nigger. He was cute to most girls, big head kind off light skin, and nice curly hair. Nothing like all the other kids. I understand how he feels i would feel very frustrated if i didn't know anything about myself and i would also wonder why my mom was different from all the other mothers. Its a very powerful passage that i can relate to. As Growing up i would ask my mom silly questions about where i came from she never tell me. I would also ask her how was i made? still no answer. But now that i am older i understand why she wouldn't tell me and now i know the answers. A person is always curious about the simplest things and as time passes by all questions are answered some longer then others but answered.
"When they recovered enough to make money,she would.....Some of these jews cant stand you" (pg.86)
This passage is very important and powerful because it tells us the readears that it is Awkward for other people such as whites and jews to see a white mother who use to be a jew walking around with colored kids. This passage is important because it tells us that james has a white mom. This passage tells us a lot such as that james mom takes her kids shopping in a jewish place were everyone looks at them weirdly giving them not so nice looks. This passage also shows that james mom wants her kids to grow up in a white neighbor hood when they are the only black kids living their. To me thats a bad idea because james and his siblings are the only colored ones in his class and the white's pick on him. James dont do nothing to the kids that pick on him because he's that shy quiet type unlike his siblings who would stand up for them self. So this quote is important because it tells us that james dosent fit in this all white jew place.
“To further escape from painful reality, I created an imaginary world for myself. I believed my true self was a boy who lived in the mirror…. He would listen to me… I had an ache inside, a longing, but I don’t know where it came from or why I had it.
I took up an interest in this passage because I feel like at 12 years old James shouldn’t have still been talking to his reflection. I think this passage is important because he created another world to get away from the real life. At 12 James still didn’t know exactly who he was which is normal at his age but it’s disturbing that he didn’t know exactly what race he was. I feel like him having so many questions about his heritage and being so confused brought on these strange behaviors. I feel like the fact that he had to talk to reflection just to feel like someone was listening is sad. In my opinion part of that was his mother’s fault. To me this passage reveals that it’s important to answer children’s questions. Also it’s sad that at his age he had a longing but didn’t know what for. I honestly think it was from being so confused. He was probably longing for his questions to be answered.
Passage: "When I asked her if she was white, she'd say, "No. I'm light-skinned," and change the subject again. Answering questions about her personal history did not jibe with Mommy's view of parenting twelve curious,wild, brown-skinned children. She issued orders and her rule was law. Since she refused to divulge details about herself or her past, and because my stepfather was largely unavailable to deal with question about himself or Ma, what I learned of Mommy's past I learned from my siblings" (page 21).
In "The Color of Water", the main thing that James struggles with as a child is finding out who his mother is as well as himself. This helps us learn that James is inquisitive and askes a lot of questions because he seems confused and wants to know his mother's background. This passage is important because it shows that she's secretive and he gets more and more confused. It also gives you more insight on James' struggles in finding out his mother's past. It also can make the reader wonder why she holds back on her past. Because of her secrecy, James' also ponders on the person he really is and what his family background is like. Everytime he askes his mom a question, she brushes it off. In this passage, it shows that him and his other siblings "trade" the information they know. It seems that James' only knew about his mother by the color of her skin, which he assumes that she is white. Since he is young and she is uncommunicative, he can only make inferences from the little details he knows.(185)For example, on page 27, it states "She insisted on absolute privacy, excellent school grades, and trusted no outsiders of either race." James' mother didn't want anyone knowing her business. I believe that she might feel ashamed of her past but that shouldn't mean she should keep her whole life a secret. I feel as though James' would get a better understanding of the world around him, his mother and why she is the way she is.
Passage: "When I asked her if she was white, she'd say, "NO. I'm light-skinned," and change the subject again. Answering questions about her personal history did not jibe with Mommy's view of parenting twelve curios, wild, brown-skinned children". (pg.21)
Behind this lines you could noticed how Ruth try to avoid the subject about her background but trough out this story James is trying to figure out who he is and where he comes from. And as a twelve year old kid he has many questions that wished they could be answered.
James is very curious about the fact that he's brown-skinned and he's mother is light-skinned. He always ask questions base on his color skinned but his mother avoids it. James struggles to find out who he is and this passage is very important and powerful because it tells the readers how he's very anxious to know who he is but he's only twelve years old and all he can do is follow he's mother rules and those rules is to don't ask questions about the past and to mind his business. He try's to put this puzzle together but his mother would lead him and his others siblings into school and the future.
Asia Cruz
English
11/23/09
The Color of Water- Passage Analysis 1
Passage: “ To further escape from painful reality, I created an imaginary world for myself. I believe my true self was a boy who lived in the mirror.”(Pg.90)
The book “ The Color of water”, by James McBride tells you the story of James and his mother Ruth. Throughout the book you learn a lot about James childhood and the struggles that he faces growing up. This passage is important because this is one powerful part in which you learn a lot more about James feelings. It shows how he escape from reality. Also how at that point in his life he felt lonely and had no where else to turn to but himself.
From reading this passage I found out a lot of new things about James. You could tell that he is still confused and it shows how he really hates what he going through only at the age of twelve. The only place is could really turn to is himself. In the mirror he talks to himself and he imagine his life the opposite of how he living. He wishes that he was free and have better living conditions. One important feelings he show is towards his mom. He wonders why she is white? This passage really helps me understand why James is the way he is at that age and why he stick to himself. The passage relates to other parts of the texts, it shows one action that James took because of the struggles that he is going through at that point in his life.
passage: am I black or white?..... then the little girl in the back raises her hand and says, " we'er all human beans!'" (pg.92-93)
I decided to do this passage because of the connection i feel from it not only as a reader but also in my personal life. From my understanding, this one question is what has this young boy lost in this place he calls home. He is stuck because he does not know who he is which matters to him. By him not knowing who he is , its perventing him from doing other things and growing as a person. However the mother is trying to protect him. My question is from what? Everyone knows he is black, his brothers say it and his class mates also.Whats the harm that could be done by him finding who he is deep within his skin and what runs through his vains?
I recall my pre-k graduation an event I will never forget,just like James I would always ask questions. On the day of my graduation I would look around and I would see how all my friends had their mommys and daddys. However when I would look up I would only see my mommy. so I asked my mother "wheres my daddy"? and she replied " iam right here iam your father and mother". I never understood the concept of her not telling me the truth, i guess its an adult thing. But what they dont seem to understand, because in not telling us their really harming us because if we are going to the main source to ask questions and to get answers and their not giving it to us, then who will?
Estefany Grullon
Ms.Wondwossen
“Ma, what’s a tragic mulatto?” Page 92, Chapter 10
In The Color of Water, James McBride knew he was unusual. James was unclear whether he was black, or white. He frequently asked questions like, “Will I be a black nobody or just a nobody?” clearly proving an identity crisis. McBride feels alone through his crisis for he doesn’t have proper guidance from his siblings or his mother. The relationship James carries with his Jewish mother, further pushes his curiosity. Growing up James knew his mother was dissimilar; she was light skinned and raised her children in Brooklyn’s Red Hook Projects. She demanded her children to stay away from others and remain within the family. James never understood why his mother was so different, and out casted herself. He longed for a normal mother who didn’t ride bikes or socialize with the neighbors. In chapter 10 we furthermore discover James’ interests; he played music, read a lot, and went to church. On one of the many books he read, he came across this term “a tragic mullato”. When McBride asked his mother what’s a tragic mullato? she became angry, sucked her teeth and demanded him not to read the book any further. Looking at things from James’ perspective, you observe that he is a young man coming into his “manhood” and he’s continually curious about why he looks a certain way, talks a certain way, and you can’t blame them for their curiosity. Once the parent starts to disconnect with their child, the child feels as if their on an ongoing journey.
“A couple weeks later the bus dropped me off and Mommy was not there. I panicked. Somewhere in the back of my mind was the memory of her warning me, ‘You’re going to have to learn to walk home by yourself”, but that memory blinked like a distant…I was lost”. (Pg. 13)
This passage is James explaining the way he feels as he stands in the bus stop, waiting for his mother and he sees no sight of her, but the particular thing is the fact that James is just 5 years old when all of this is happening. As a reader we try to decide is this a sane mother’s action to a 5 year old or just plain malice. This passage is very powerful because as readers you doubt the character’s actions and become morally conscious. But as mother’s characteristics are being re-evaluated you come to conclude it’s just her way of trying to prepare James for this Harsh world, and perhaps make him mature at a very young age and start to become independent and this is when the mother’s action are view as a lesson to James; that not always she would be able to be there for him, and maybe no one will. This information perceived from the passage it’s very new, for it was never expected for the mother to do that, she acted so plain that it was hard to understand her twisted decision at glance.
Justin mercado. English
11/23/09
One quote that really stuck out to me from the book "The Color of Water" by James Mcbride would be in Chapter 10 on page 89. "by the age of twelve, i was traveling an hour an a half one way to junior high school by myself, taking two buses each direction every day. My homeroom teacher......to eat." This quote stuck out a lot to me because why is a twelve year old traveling by himself so far. At the age of twelve you should be in the 7th grade so now a 7th grader is traveling very far putting his saftey at risk just to go to school. Maybe if he was in high school den its no problem with it but not on junior high school.
When u in high school you can take care of youself enough rather in jr. High where as if u get hurt or something your parents can come cause you are still young. So now if James has an emergencey or something where his mother has to come get him she has to travel a lot just to get him. Safety is another reason why you shouldnt do that because what happen if James would get robbed or jumped he cant do anything what if he even sees the person or people who got him. Another thing is that why would she send him all the way over there if there is most likely a school around where they live. Ok yes she would have her son with a better education, but why put your child in that predicament at such an early age ? You can let them get a good education when they get into high school and college.
Quote: "A deep sigh
"Oh boy...God's not black. He's not white. He's a spirit"
"Does he like black or white people better?"
"He loves all people. He's a spirit."
"What's a spirit?"
"What color is God's spirit?"
"It doesn't have a color," She said "God is the color of water. Water doesn't have a color" (page 50-51)
I think this quote is important because it has a lot of controversy about it. This quote is the answer to all of James' questions about his identity. This also answers a lot of questions about what color God is. People often portray him as white but the black people like him to be black. To me, I don't give him a color at all. This quote is also important because this is what the book is based upon. How we are all just humans it should not be based on what color we are. Also, this quote shows how even at a young age, children wonder about their skin color, and how that ties into their surroundings, how it makes them feel and the way it affects others perspectives on them due to their skin color. God's judgement should be the precedent for how we as humans judge one another. This shows a little boy understanding concepts way beyond his years. Already knowing how color and race ties in with his religion and to have a white mother in a black neighborhood. It affects how he wants to be seen and known for in his neighborhood, in addition to having a white mother. James, like most young kids learn about their color and and other races and how they are "classified". Kids especially are influenced easily to think whatever thye are told but as we grow older, we learn to form our own opinions and images of ourselves
Yennedy Figueroa
Quote: "The first time her mother served me dinner I said, "I can't eat this", and I was embarrassed until Frances piped out "I don't like this food either. My favorite food is mayonnaise on white bread." That's how she was, she'd do little things to let you know she was on your side. It didn't bother her one bit that I was Jewish, and if she was around, no one in school would tease me. I would take pennies form the store cash register so Frances and I could go to the Chadwick movie theatre-it cost only ten cents." (pase 81-82).
This quote is very important it shows us that Frances stuck up for Ruth and that they had a good friendship and look out for each other. The sacrifices they made for each other and how that bettered their relationship. This also tells us that even though Ruth didnt have a good family she still did things that were in her culture like eat kosher and the sabbath. And how when they were together in school Ruth wouldnt get teased. That Frances didnt care one bit that Ruth was Jewish. To Frances, she was just a person not a Jew.
Jenny Suquilanda
English 12
“…and also because she would occasionally do something in church that I never saw her do at home or anywhere else: at some point in the service, usually when the congregation was singing one of her favorite songs, like “we’ve come this far by faith” or “ what a friend we have in Jesus,” she would bow down her head and weep. It was the only time I ever saw her cry. “Why do you cry in church?” I asked her one afternoon after service.
“Because god makes me happy.” “Then why cry?” “I’m crying ‘cause am happy. Anything wrong with that?” “No,” I said, but there was, because happy people did not seem to cry like she did.” (Pg.49-50)
This quote is important because it shows the different perspectives of both the mother and James. In this section of the novel James is able to identify something odd about what his mother does when she is in the church. If it want for this part of the text James would of have never seen what his mother goes through and identify the different feeling that she has even though his mother is never able to speak out what she has gone through during her younger ages. Before this quote come up on the novel James describes the different things about church and how he feel about all the things that surround him. “One afternoon on the way home from church I asked her whether god was black or white.” Pg. 50 After this quote like James like always questions and ask his mother about the color of skin about God. This quote is one of the most important sections of the book so far because it shows the weak spots of his mom and what James goes through.
passage: she insisted on absolute privacy,excellent school grades, and trusted no outsiders of either race"
this passge means that james wanted to know he was . his mother didnt want to tell him. he wanted to know why his mother was different from the other moms. he was dark skin and his mom was white. his mother always ignored him when he asked . she avoided it. he had so many questions and no one can aswer them. his brothers and sisters were just mean to him he hated this. he grew up lonely and curious . his mother trusted no one outside her family.she wasnt rasict or nothing.just the way she was.she just wanted her kids to successed in life and be good.
The passage that was found to be powerful resides on pg.89. This quote, "In this...."James is a nigger!", shows why its so powerful. James McBride's mother had put them in jewish schools which required traveling. Even the youngest of them had to travel some miles to get to school. In the school James went to, he was the only negro student.
This passage is important because it shows what the mother did in order to get her kids into good schools. It also shows what the kids had to go through, traveling miles away from home, and being the only black students in a jewish school. They also had teachers that looked for mistakes that can push 90's down to 85's or 80's.
The other students often made little racist comments that made James feel uncomfortable. They called him a nigger and laughed at the situation. James didnt have friends in his school and felt he didnt belong. This is why this passage is important.
-Aaron M.
Malcolm Ebanks 11-23-09
We grew accustomed to being the only black, or Negro” in school and were standout student, neat and well- mannered, despite the racist attitudes of money of our teachers, who were happy to knock our 95 test scores down to 85s and 80s over the most trivial mistakes. In the novel the color of water by James McBride has an interesting part to it. The lines that I wrote above were some interesting lines. The
Reasons are as follows.
In this novel race plays a big role. The reason is because of James skin color being brown and his mother being a white Jewish lady. These words were important because they talk about every day situation, and dealing with life. This talks about how people are viewed in other selves based on them not being the same. This was important to me because this is something true.
Another reason this was important because it shows me the lifestyle they lived, and how they were treated. This was a part in the chapter that made me think why? This tells us the different in colored people. It also sound like something that happens everyday in there lives. It just sounds like a bigger point when used this way. The passage should seem like something easier to understand when you think about it. Them being colored just changes everything. If this was on a different subject then this wouldn’t be the main factor. This point was something that I can relate to, and other people
When I was a boy ... Mommy’s view of parenting twelve curious, wild, brown-skinned children. (Pg.21)
I choose this paragraph from the rest of the text because in this text his mom was avoiding the questions of his and her cultural background. Throughout his hole childhood he would asd her these questions and she would avoid them. Her doing this made him want to avoid her. He didnt want to go out in public and let people see that he a black young man had a white color mother. He finally realized where she was coming from when she asked him to buy a milk and he came back with rotten milk and she went and argued with the employee because that's all she had. He know appreciates coming from to backgrounds [ Being both black and white ] and see's where his mom was coming from when he was young. This show's know that he's no longer embarrassed to show his mother just because the color of her skin. -- Manny = ]
"I thought it would be easier if we were just one color, black or white. I didn't want to be white. My siblings had already instilled the notion of black pride in me. I would have preferred that Mommy were black. Now, as a grown man, I feel privileged to have come from two worlds.''
I pick this quote because its explain how James accepted his both races. He realized his moms perspective of her race. He no longer wants to deny her and hide her. He's grown into both his race and is happy with what he is. -- Edwin Robles
Passage: " I'm Dead. You want to talk about my family and here I been dead to them for fifty years. Leave me alone. Don't bother me. They want no parts of me and I don't want no parts of them." (pg. 1)
Through out this story Ruth tries to avoid the questions that James asks her about her background. This is very important because James is a very curious twelve year old kid and all he wants to know is who he is and where he comes from. Even though it seems wrong for his mother not to answer his questions, I believed all she trying to avoid is the answers she has to say because the more questions he has to ask the more complicated it gets. I believe this quote is important and powerfull because its an example on how she answers back, and behind this lines you could noticed her emotion about it. And her emotion is mad, angry and upset.
Christopher Soto 11/24/09
English
Pg 101- “come and lets walk to the store.”she said one afternoon. “I can go by myself,” I said. The intent was to hide my white mom and go alone.
This passage is important because it talks how James was embarrassed to go to the store with his mom because she is white. He’s embarrassed of that because he’s black. He tries to avoid her all the time by telling her lies while he’s playing basketball, because he doesn’t want his mom to go look for him while the baddest cat on the block would call her a “honky” and he gets offended by that and he has to respond and then get his ass kicked. He doesn’t really understand his mothers past. He only goes by physical appearance and her being the only white person in a black neighborhood and that makes him feel uncomfortable. Shes secretive and that makes him confused about his mom past. The part in the store when the mom wants her money back for the rotten milk shows how his mom has more power over blacks because of her skin color and hes not as light skinned as his mom. James wants to know about his mothers past and who she is but she doesn’t tell him and that affects him and how he looks at her. In page 21, it says “we traded information on mommy the way people traded baseball cards at trade shows offering bits and pieces fraught with gossip nonsense wisdom and sometimes just plain foolishness.” This shows that not only does james not know anything about his mom but neither does his siblings and it makes you wonder why she is hiding her past.
“… on the way home from church I asked her whether God was black or white.” A deep sigh. “Oh boy… God is not black. He is not white. He’s a spirit.” “Does he like black or white people better?” “He loves all people. He’s a spirit.” “What’s a spirit?””What color is God’s spirit?” “It doesn’t have a color,” she said. “God is the color of water. Water doesn’t have a color.”
The color of God has always been a major controversial issue among people. Everyone may have their own opinions and reasons behind their thoughts, but there has been no proof of justification regarding this. Along with skin color follows race and ethnicity. Since the image of God is portrayed to be so righteous, whatever his color may be will also be the absolute best.
This quote stood out to me not only because it explains and connects to the title of the book; but because it forces me to think back on what I’ve been taught, what I’ve seen, and what I should believe. I don’t know what color God is, no one does, but like everyone else, I would love to know. Maybe he is the color of water. It seems like the only reasonable answer considering we are all suppose to be made in his image. But even so, we all look so different on the outside, so maybe it is what’s on the inside, like a spirit.
In my opinion, this is the best possible answer a mother could give any curious child when asked about the skin color of God. This prevents any bias feelings, jealousy, and any other mixed emotions. Though James was still confused by his mother’s response, it would have been a lot worse had she have chose a color.
in the book color of water by james mcbribe it show james counfusion of his race and james was also serching for himself.For a boy like James he was curious why he was light brown and his mother was white. James always asked his mommy where did she come from but she never really gave him an answer. Everything James learned about his mommy he learned it from his brothers and sisters. pg. 85-87 show how james mother wwanted the best for her kids so much dat she sent them far away to jewish schools for a better education. i think james mother did this so her kids could be more independent. at that time blacks were discriminated against, and even thoe james didn't want to walk around with his mom she had benfits as a white woman. i say this because when james brother got arrested, the judge let him go because of his mother being white. baaqiy f.
I’m Dead
You Want to talk about my family and here I been dead to them for fifty years. Leave me alone. Don’t bother me. They want no parts of me and I don’t want no parts of them… See my family,…, … wouldn’t have time for this foolishness….
This passage is very important to the book. Not only is it the opening passage, but it is the introduction to an important character in the book named Ruth. This character is not only the narrator for most chapters, but is also the mother of the author. This gives the reader 2 different perspectives to the book.
When it is Ruth’s turn to speak, she seems very open about her life. She reveals many things that she didn’t not even bother to tell the author, James, about. This is important because, when he was younger, James asked many questions to his mother and was always curious about her past. And this raises a question of why would she answer the questions now when she says she doesn’t have time for the interview and also after so much time after the questions were asked instead of answering them when he was younger and was still curious. This could be because of the sense of how she raises her children.
Ruth raises her children based on their age. Based on different parts of the story, she seems to avoid questions from the younger children or re-direct them to the older children. It shows that she likes to keep a lot to herself and wants her children to do the same. She feels that everyone’s life should be kept private. And she shows this side of herself when James is narrating. But she opens up when she is the one narrating. So this leaves the question of why does she open up now unanswered.
-Edwin Perez
Passage: "The white kids in school did not believe me and after weeks of encouragement i found myself standing in front of the classroom on talent day wearing my brother's good shoes and hitching up my pants soul singer style like one of the temptations as someone dropped the needle on a James brown Record i slid around the way i seen him do shouting ow shabanaaa! they were delighted even the teacher was amused they really believed i could dance i had them fooled they scream for more and i obligated squiggling my feet and slip sliding across the wooden floor jumping into the air and landing in a near split by the black board shouting EEEEE YOWWWWW! they went wild but even as i sat down with their applause ringing in my ears with laughter in my face happy to feel accepted to be part of them i saw the derision on their faces the clever smiles laughing at the oddity of it and i felt the same ache i felt when i saw that boy in the mirror i remembered him and how free he was and i hated him even more" Pg 105 chapter school
what i think about that passage is that he was peered pressured into doing something he did not want to do cause he did not know how to dance and the white kids think that all black people can dance they thought he can dance too so they asked him to dance for them for weeks hes said no .. untill one day he comes to school in his bros shoes and starts dancing he thinks the white kids like it but they dont they think its funny so they make fun of him by laughing at him but he doesnt know untill he actually sees their faces i felt bad for him but atleast he had the guts to do that ..Julio
in page 94 james was talking to some one in the mirror talking about how the guy in the mirror has his own bed he is never hungry and he is black with a black mother.for me james want to be like the guy in the mirror because it seems like he is having a good life and he has a black mother and james mom is white and it seems like he is a shame that he is black and he has a white mother. you could tell that james docent have any friends he have brothers but they like to pick on him so that why he talk to his imaginary friend it is very sad.you could also tell that he is very confuse about his raise cause most of the questions he ask his mother and his brother is about him be white or black and his mom always tel him the same thing that it docent mater.and when he talk about his imaginary friend he says that he wish he had his own bed so he probably wish he was rich to have his own bed or that he dint had many brothers.i believe that the reason that he ask so many question is because he is in a white school and he is different from the people he is most often around
Natalie Rodriguez
"He joined the army...so there was nothing I could do for Sam but pray for him" -chapter 7. page 63
I chose this quote because it shows the reader what happens when a family disowns somebody. I personally think this quote tells a reader that love for family is priceless. It shows the reader that James' mom still loved her family even though to them, shes dead. She, like everyone else, needs help with life every once in a while.
I think this passage helps us readers understand James' mom a little more just because maybe out of anger, she does not want to talk to her kids about a family who "killed" her over the decision of marrying a black man. In other parts of the text we are able to see how she changes with time. We are able to see why she views her family with the perspective of them being whites and Jews, herslef being just light skinned, but with the character of a black woman.
I believe that James mother has great intentions for her children, and also she has taken great action to ensure that her children have a great education and life. But her ignoring James questions,and forcing him to go to these racist Jewish schools could also be doing him some harm. He is not treated nicely at school and he continues to struggle with identity issues. It is amazing how his brothers and sisters seem to have self identity or really don't seem to care about what what is perplexing James. So I feel like I wanna say James is overreacting but he is not his brothers and sisters and he has his own mind. I think that you could say that James contemplates things deeper that his siblings do because really if James has this crisis going his siblings should to, because they live in the same household and are also mixed.
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