The Color of Water Analysis
Kathryn Levitan
English Honors
Period 8
Aug. 21, 2012 1. James starts the book at 14 years old because at that age there was a lot of internal and external conflicts around him. First of all his stepfather, Hunter Jordan had died from a stroke which was very hard on him because of how close he was to Hunter even though he was not his biological father. Also around this age of 14, James was going through an identity crises because of the difference in skin color to his mother. James was brought up by a white mother and a African American stepfather with brothers and sisters who were mix including himself. This really affected James in his self-confidence because he didn’t know where he belonged whether it was in the black community or the white community which is why he decided to begin a book about his family and where he grew up in as well as his mother, Ruth. 2. Ruth’s life was a very interesting but emotionally upsetting with how she grew up with her parents and later on when she lived on her own. The first most important events in Ruth’s life was when her father, who she called Tateh, sexually abused her at a very young age when she lived in Sullfolk, Virginia, This impacted Ruth’s self-confidence very much so because her father treated her with no love and kindness but instead treated her like she was nothing important to him. She really felt unloved and not worthy of him because of how Tateh treated her. The second most important even in her life was meeting Frances her first very close friend. Frances was very impactful in Ruth’s Life because she showed Ruth that is was okay to be Jewish in her town and that education is very important. Also another thing that Frances did to Ruth was begin Ruth’s journey toward going to church and begin a relationship with God. The third most important even in Ruth’s life was when she met Peter who she met at her father’s work and later she became pregnant with his child. This was a very important moment in
English Honors
Period 8
Aug. 21, 2012 1. James starts the book at 14 years old because at that age there was a lot of internal and external conflicts around him. First of all his stepfather, Hunter Jordan had died from a stroke which was very hard on him because of how close he was to Hunter even though he was not his biological father. Also around this age of 14, James was going through an identity crises because of the difference in skin color to his mother. James was brought up by a white mother and a African American stepfather with brothers and sisters who were mix including himself. This really affected James in his self-confidence because he didn’t know where he belonged whether it was in the black community or the white community which is why he decided to begin a book about his family and where he grew up in as well as his mother, Ruth. 2. Ruth’s life was a very interesting but emotionally upsetting with how she grew up with her parents and later on when she lived on her own. The first most important events in Ruth’s life was when her father, who she called Tateh, sexually abused her at a very young age when she lived in Sullfolk, Virginia, This impacted Ruth’s self-confidence very much so because her father treated her with no love and kindness but instead treated her like she was nothing important to him. She really felt unloved and not worthy of him because of how Tateh treated her. The second most important even in her life was meeting Frances her first very close friend. Frances was very impactful in Ruth’s Life because she showed Ruth that is was okay to be Jewish in her town and that education is very important. Also another thing that Frances did to Ruth was begin Ruth’s journey toward going to church and begin a relationship with God. The third most important even in Ruth’s life was when she met Peter who she met at her father’s work and later she became pregnant with his child. This was a very important moment in