"The Color of Water" by James Mcbride

Paper Summary:

In James McBride's book, The Color of Water, the leaving of home by both Ruth (the author's mother) and James (the author) is an event full of mixed causes, motivations and effects.

From the Paper:

" In James McBride's book, The Color of Water, the leaving of home by both Ruth (the author's mother) and James (the author) is an event full of mixed causes, motivations and effects. Both are leaving unpleasant home and family environments. Both are frightened and hopeful about finding a new and better life. Both ultimately find that their leaving home was, indeed, a positive step toward discovering themselves and living a life separate from the family environment they left behind.


Ruth's family was relying on her, to work in the store among other things, and she was unhappy and feeling trapped. The straw that broke the camel's back with respect to her leaving was her becoming pregnant, having an abortion, and then hearing that Peter, the black man who would have been the father of her baby, was marrying another woman. She confronted him and he told her..."

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