The Color of Water: Character List, Quotes Explained, Summary, Historical Information, Message

Character List:

Ruth McBride Jordan:  
She is the mother of James. She is characterized by having a very strong and big hearted personality, which helped her overcome her hardships in life. She tries to impose only three things into the life of James, the importance of: work, school and God. She especially tends to overlook the aspect of racism at any point her children try to bring it up. She believes there is no color, that God made us all equally.

James McBride:
 As a young child, James struggled with identity and fell into the use of drugs, which briefly obscured his path to success. However, his time spent in New York helped him realize he wished to lead a fulfilling life by spending his time doing something he loved. Although he struggled to gain his dignity back and move forward in life, he succeeded. He attended college and became a writer, composer, and musician.

Tateh (Fishel Shilsky): 
 Father of Rachel Shilsky, also known as Ruth McBride. He physical, mentally and sexually abused Ruth at a young age. He was a very stern and stubborn man, who never cared about his family. He lived to make money and that was the end of it.

Mameh (Hudis Shilsky):
 Ruth's mother, was forced to marry Fishel Shilsky to ensure his moving to America. She had a stroke at a young age and because of it half of her body stayed paralyzed. The only way Mameh was able to live in America was by Ruth always taking care of her and translating. Mameh was the only one that Ruth felt she did a great injustice to when she left home.

Dee Dee:
 The younger daughter of Fishel and Hudis Shilsky. Unlike Ruth, Dee Dee was never treated unkindly. Tateh always gave her what she wanted and everyone liked her because, Ruth stated, she was sweet , soft spoken and not an immigrant. Dee Dee and Ruth spoke 50 years after her departure from home.

Andrew Dennis McBride: 
 Father of James. He met Ruth while he worked in her shop. He was the only one who provided Ruth with love and care, they had eight children in the time span of their marriage. Andrew died at the age of thirty from cancer.

Hunter Jordan:
 Second husband of Ruth. He was the male role model of James and the rest of Ruth's children. Like Ruth he believed in God and the old conservative ways of life. He became ill and died of a stroke, his death caused Ruth a decade long of depression.

 Frances:
 The only friend of Ruth's childhood. France's friendship truly help bring life into the heart of Ruth; she was one of the few people to show Ruth she was important. Frances was accepting of Ruth's background even though others criticized her for having a Jewish friend.

Peter:
Ruth's first boyfriend. Peter was black which helped foreshadow the connection Ruth would later have with colored people. She was impregnated by him, but aborted her child. Peter ended up having to marry another girl and Ruth ran away from home because of it.  

Chicken Man: 
The man James befriended in New York. He was the reason James completely turned his life around. Chicken Man was the person who spoke out honestly and told James he was not a man who belonged in the streets, he belonged in school. After having been lectured by Chicken Man, James changed his mischievous ways and transformed into a gentle and hardworking man. 

Historical Information:
The post-civil war Amendments ensured that blacks would be freed and would have equal rights. However, this idea was pushed back by the majority vote of citizens in the United States, which began to create a sense of racism throughout multiple cultures. Although blacks were free, they did not share any of the same rights that white people did. They were separated in every aspect, take into consideration the Jim Crow Laws. African Americans during such laws were forbidden from entry white only places and were subjected constant unfair treatment. During this time, there was a group established named, Ku Klux Klan. The KKK, ensured that blacks were fearful at all times; they murder thousands of African Americans throughout fifty years of institutionalized racial segregation. Finally, beginning  the late 1930s there became hope of equal rights for blacks, through the Civil Rights Movement. People began to speak up and fight for equality. The government became involved in trying to change the unfair way of life colored people were subjected to. However, it is important to note that it was not until the 1950s that the government completely stopped allowing racial injustice; the government went so far as to take down any statues of governmental actions that proposed any sign of racism.

Quotes explained:

"Rachel Shilsky is dead as far as I'm concerned. She had to die in order for me, the rest of me, to live." (McBride 2)

In order to forget her hard past, Rachel must give up completely on her identity, which meant even changing her name. As her family had completely forgotten about her in their lives, she hoped to do the same to them and forget them ever being part of her life. The only way she felt she was able to move forward in her life was by abolishing any memory of her family with the hopes of never having to feel pain from her decision of leaving them. She was stricken between pains of the decisions so her only way to escape this was for her to completely dissolved her once identity and receive a new one. The moment she became Ruth McBride, she never starved from loved, she had what she felt her person deserved. Ruth was the new her and Ruth was whom she would stay as.

“Mommy staggered about in an emotional stupor for nearly a year. But while she weebled and wobbled and leaned, she did not fall” (Chpt. 16, p. 163). 

Ruth McBride was a strong woman, who although had rough patches in life, kept her head up high and strived despite an immense amount of obstacles that always seemed to be in her way. James sought comfort in his mother, because she was such a strong willed woman. However, when her second husband died, Ruth struggled and in doing so, James struggled as well. The important thing to note however is despite the fact that Ruth could struggle with her emotions she never completely fell into those emotions which is why her family remained stable; she was the glue that kept the family together. This quote helps depict a sense of structure in the McBride family, the mother acted as the pillars that hold up a household. 

“She wipes her memory instantly and with purpose; it’s a way of preserving herself” (Chpt. 25, p. 271). 

Ruth believes that erasing her past is what helps her live a better present. By not talking about her past, it helped her not to be reminded of the struggle she faced growing up. The only way she could be strong was to cover up what made her weak. She never spoke about her feelings with her children, because she had to be tough for her household. She knew that being weak was never an option which is why she forcefully chose to stay continuously moving forward instead of looking back; the moment she looked back was the moment she would ruin herself.

"'Look at them laughing', he'd say in Yididish. 'They don't have a dime in their pocker and they're always laughing.' But he had plenty of money and we were all miserable." (McBride 61)

Money does not buy happiness. The quotes helps understand that family is important, because even if the family does not have everything good in life, if they are loving and affection, they are happier. Unlike Rachel's family, that had more than plenty of money to go around, but she never had a happy memory in the her life with them. It was until she did not have money and struggled to pay her bills that she was content, because her husband gave her love, which is what a human being needs, to feel wanted and needed. 

We'd gather around the cans, open them, and spoon up the peanut butter like soup, giggling as our mouths stuck closed with gooey stuff. (McBride 66)

James had to grow up with eleven brothers and sisters, he never took any moment for granted because of it. His favorite memory as a child was when his mother would come home and have peanut butter in her purse. James and his siblings fought for a spoonful of peanut butter, to enjoy the simplicity and fun in a little rowdiness. Enjoying the little things in life helped James as an adult realize that memories are something intangibly priceless.

"They were all trying hard to be American, you know, not knowing what to keep and what to leave behind. But you know what happens when you do that. If you throw water on the floor it will always find a hole, believe me." (McBride 135)
  
Leaving your custom way of life and trying to adjust to a new way, is difficult, because you need to release who you are as a person and transition change into a new one. People who immigrate to new lands are prone to throwing away their traditions because they want to fit into that society, but then people will never get to know the real you. No matter how hard you try to change, somehow or someway you will always find yourself trying to become yourself again. You can not cover an entire life of accustoms in just a few set of years, better to be yourself and be happy, then be someone else you cannot be. 

"Her oddness, her complete non awareness of what the world thought of her, a nonchalance in the face of what I perceived to be imminent danger from blacks and whites who disliked her for being a white person in a black world. She saw none of it." Chap. 2, The Bicycle, p. 5

Liking, believing and wanting to be who you are, no matter what the cost, helps you live an easier life. Ruth did not care what others thought of her or her lifestyle, she would rather be happy even if it meant risking her life. Her motto consisted of believing that life was worth living the way she wanted instead of living sad but what others expected. She never saw the injustices of others for her odd ways, because she didn't need to see it, or want to see it, because she was content with who she was a person and that is the only thing that mattered to her-self approval.

MESSAGE:

Although James McBride's novel "The Color of Water," is an autobiographical biography he does illustrate messages throughout the novel.

The importance of family:

Throughout "The Color of Water," McBride continuously described his and his mother's family in exclusive detail. He very frequently stated that even though his family was rowdy and a hassle, considering he had 11 brothers and sisters, they were all each others best friends. As a tradition of their household, when you became the eldest in the household after one had left to college, the next eldest took their place, which helped create a system of respect and organization in the McBride family. In Ruth's family, although she lived a very horrid childhood, she always found a way to love her family. Ruth eventually ran away from home, buy never forgave herself for leaving her family behind, especially her Mameh and her sister Dee Dee. Ruth always lived with the guilt of having not being fair with her absence in the family, especially considering she was her mother's guardian and her sister's rock. In the end of the novel, Ruth learns to live with her past and cherish the good memories she had with her family, and makes a family her own which helps her understand that although her childhood was bad, she could make a family of her own that would be filled with love and comfort, which helps her understand that family is important.

A mother's love is a most powerful thing:

Ruth McBride endured obstacles by having twelve children with black men, especially considering she was white. However, the rude remarks, maltreatment, or negative ways people did to her, ever changed her love for her family. She believed there was no such thing as different colors in a human race, we are all just God's creation and because of that, everyone is equal. She was willingly to do anything to ensure her children's success, no matter at what cost. She was a mother who would stand up for her children, no matter what the problem was and considering the time frame she was in, was a very heroic thing to do, she fought for what she believed in.

Identity is a key role in growing up:

 James struggled growing up, because he was confused as to who he was and where he came from. His mother refused to tell him where she was from and why she was different from him. James questioned everything and how everything in his family was. As a child he was scared for his mom, because she was different, she was light-skinned, something nobody in his neighborhood was. He had no idea where to turn or where to be comforted from. During his adolescence stage, he fell into the wrong crowd, because he was confused and tried to find himself. He met a friend in New York that helped put his mind straight and he completely changed his ways. In the process of changing, his mother finally told him her childhood which gave James a new outlook on life, he was not just one race but two and he was unique. He embraced his background because he understood his identity.

SUMMARY:

The book begins by introducing the life of James McBride and his struggle to grow up, due to his identity. However, the book transitions from his life, to his mother's life, every other chapter.

James McBride was always question why it was his mother was light skinned and he was not. He felt ashamed that he did not look like his mother, he endured years of confusion. His mom was never one to share where she was from or who she was. James was a good child, until his step father died. His mama had always been a rock, but when her second husband died, she kept to herself and mourned for over ten years. James became rebellious during this time because he had no one to guide him through his adolescent phase of life. He began drinking, smoking and hanging out with the wrong kind of people. Finally, just before finishing his high school career he altered his way of being and became focused on school and music. In the search for a stable job, he became more interested in his mother's childhood, which led him to become interested in writing an autobiography on his and her life. It took him ten years to convince his mom to let him write a book about their lives.

Ruth McBride (mother of James)

Actual name was Rachel Shilsky. She grew up in Poland and was Jewish. Tateh, her father physically and sexually abused her as a child. Mameh, her mother was handicapped for life after having a stroke. Rachel endured excessive amounts of pain when growing up. It is important to note that she was maltreated by everyone at her school for being Jewish, which, during that time frame, was almost as "bad" as being colored. Rachel felt more accepted into the black community than any other and because of this she was only able to find colored men attractive. This can be supported by the fact that both her husbands and boyfriends were colored. The fact that she married, a colored man, Dennis McBride, she became shunned from her family. She had 8 children with him, remarried and had four more children. She led a very hard life, having to deal with society's rude remarks on her lifestyle, especially being criticized for her choice in men. Even after the extensive criticism of her lifestyle, she never regretted a single choice, she strove to make her children's life better and she succeeded; all her children grew up to become succesful people and leaders in their own ways.