Tuesday, December 4, 2012
G-BAND: Color of Water Chapters 11 & 12
1) Write a response, choosing a line and explaining it's significance to you. Please remember: no plot re-cap! Share your analysis, make connections to the world, ask questions, discuss imagery, and deepen your thinking. Please make sure that your writing has depth to it. A 3-sentence blog post is not sufficient!
2) Don't forget to respond to someone else's post! Answer their questions, or pose a question of your own!
* If you are having problems with the blog, please email me. I read the blog every night and expect to see all of your comments!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
"Out of this haze of relatives and authority figures loomed a dominating presence that would come and go." pg. 118
ReplyDeleteThis line stood out to me because I always considered his mother to be the sole authority figure in his life, but this line made me think about the other people who had authority over him as well. His older siblings, for example, provided him with a male presence that he never really had. Also, the absence of a male figure made me think about the importance of having both male and female dominant figures in one's life. Does one need both genders to be able to function normally? Is there an imbalance if not? This line made me also wonder about the importance of siblings, and if it is a necessity to have siblings as well. Do they provide important skills? Or are they really of no importance at all?
I agree that James lacked a male figure in his life, to teach him all those things later on in life. James seems to also lack love like Ruth when she was younger. Why would Ruth not give a lot of love to her children if she lived through the same thing?
DeleteI think that a child does not need both a male and female to function normally. Although, I do think that it's important to have a male and female role model. I think it can affect one but not necessarily in a negative way. I guess, it's better for them to be exposed to a male and female but because James has so many older siblings, it's okay. He has males to look up to. Contradicting to that, is it possible that James' older siblings were affected because they had no male figure or siblings to help them out?
DeleteYou bring up an interesting point. I think that James' mother being his main authority figure in life definitely affected him in many ways. However, I agree with Morgan that one does not need a parent of both genders to function normally. There are lots of kids who have only one parent or parents of only one gender, but that does not mean that they are deficient in something. Same thing with siblings, whether or not you have siblings will affect you, but not necessarily in a positive or negative way.
DeleteI agree with your quote because it brings up interesting points. Also to answer your first question, is that I dont think one needs both genders to raise them to be normal or regualr. I think that as long as the child is treated well, their is respect, and that their is a stable lifesyle that anyone can be raised with a single parent. I agree with single parenting and I think that the children that are raised from a single parent come out well and actually ae raised the same if not better then two parent household.
Delete"'I want to drive home one more time', he said...But he was to weak to drive, so he sat there behind the wheel of the car, staring at the garage wall, and he began to talk."(Pg. 127)
ReplyDeleteThis quote shows the exact thing most older people think when they know they are dying. James's stepfather just had a stroke and knew he was going to die. Dying wishes are usually to see your loved ones, see your childhood home, etc. James didn't understand why his stepfather said those words. His stepfather was also too weak to drive, and he knew that, so he sat and talked James and told him to take care of his mother, as hints that he was going to die. Why would his stepfather want to go to Virginia when he said that his "home" was in Brooklyn, where he loved living? I feel as if even though a person's childhood home was terrible, they'll still want to see it the last time.
I agree with you. I think at some point in our lives we all fear death and that's just human nature, but as we grow older we accept death and become more ready for it. And also childhood, I believe, is the most important stage in a human beings life and no matter how awful it is, there are some parts about being a child that everyone wishes they could relive.
DeleteI also agree. When you know that you're going to die, one takes time to reflect on their lives and accept that they're going to die. Even though his childhood in Virginia might have been terrible, I agree with Francesca that it is still the most important stage in a human being's life. Childhood is one of the most reflective thing people think of. It is where you grew up and learned and even if it was a bad experience for the most part, it can still be really important. I also think that because James' stepfather chose him to drive to Virginia made James sadder. I wonder if it made James sadder because it was one of the first times a male figure played such a big role in his life.
DeleteI agree with you when your younger death is unknown to you but as your grow holder you start to get a better understanding of it. Sometimes you think, "why did he say this....instead of this?". Also, your childhood is the most important stage in your and the one that you hold close to it.
Delete" If there was one thing Tateh didn't llike more than genetiles, it was black folks. And if there was one thing he didn't like more than black folks in general,it was black men in particular."
ReplyDelete(pg.107)
-This quote stood out to me because it made me think, did ruth get married to a black man to get her dad mad? Since she disliked him. But then, Ruth had stated that she fell in love with him. It also shows that back then everything was segregated. I also thought, shouldn't Tateh dislike the white folks instead of him hating people who give him business in his store.
"'Why don't you go to New York this summer to see your grandmother?' she said." -page 115
ReplyDeleteI found this quote really interesting. I think that because Ruth's mom didn't know how to handle Ruth being with a black man that she decided that it would just be easier to send her away. It shows the lack of help and empathy that Ruth experienced. Her own mother couldn't help her when she desperately needed help. I think that that just shows another factor that effected Ruth's childhood. The fact that Ruth couldn't even have parents that could love her or help her or even be empathetic is really sad. Children usually have parents that love and care for them. Without love and care it must be really hard to grow up. As the reader learns more about how Ruth raises her children it is evident that she loves them and tries her best to care for them. Why doesn't she answer her children's questions though? I understand that she doesn't think that color matters, but isn't it important for her kids figuring out who they are?
I actually dont agree with this, although it really is arguable considering there is no examination of what Ruth's mother said, but I thought of what she said as more of a way to change the topic without really saying anything. A way of showing that she knew without saying it. I wish there had been further examination of this quote.
DeleteI agree with you, Morgan, that it would have been nice for Ruth to have someone to talk to. But, perhaps given the time period, this was the most support that Mameh could give Ruth. Perhaps this is the ultimate sign of her love that she looked out for her daughter when others would have disowned her for such an act. Also, she is encouraging Ruth, without saying it, to get an abortion, another societal taboo of the times that she probably couldn't utter out loud.
DeleteI'm sure this is cliche and all but my quote was "Why don't you go to New York this summer to see your grandmother?"
ReplyDeleteThis quote really stood out to me for many reasons. Ruth always said she appreciated her mother, but never really went in to detail about her or what she meant to her. When I read this I finally saw how much Ruth really did for her. Interracial couples, as the book said, really were the worst of the worst during this time period. Ruth knew how much she was risking by dating a black person, and gave up a lot for him. Ruth is exremely lucky that it was her mother of all people who would have overheard,because and Ruths life would've nearly ended if it was her father who saw. I think Ruth really should show her gratitude to her mother and talk more about her in the book. Not only should Ruth have payed more attention to her in her interviews with James, but I wish James would have done some research on her background to see how she was raised and what her values were. I also would like to know if Ruth's mother was racist and didnt support their relationship but kept it a secret for the safety of her daughter, or if she really did support Ruth in every way.
You bring up an interesting point. I think Ruth saw her mother as looked down upon or not as significant as her father, but overall Ruth could tell that her mom was afraid of her dad. I think this says a lot because even if Ruth's mom knows about her secret relationship and actually kept it a secret, if Ruth's father found out, she knew her mother would not be able protect her. I think also the fact that Ruth's mom basically said "hey, why don't you go to New York for the summer and we'll forget this ever happened" is kind of cowardly and confusing probably to Ruth because at least if they discussed the situation in private, maybe Ruth wouldn't feel so alone and sad about her relationship.
Delete"He had no idea of what the sixties meant, nor did they seem to interest him. His only interests were my grades and church." page 124
ReplyDeleteWhen James is describing his stepfather, it surprised me how much he resembled Ruth. They both put school and church above all, and they both are old-fashioned in their ways. It makes sense to me now why Ruth would love this man, despite the opinions of everyone else. James also mentions that his stepfather would always avoid discussing race, another similarity. In the beginning of the book, I wondered if she dated black men to anger her father, but I don't think that was the case anymore. It's not like Ruth went off and married a Black Panther just to rebel against her family, she married a man with similar values who happened to be black. It is amazing how Ruth and Hunter were able to just ignore everyone's judgement, to create their own world where color didn't matter. I wonder if they were a couple today, would they still be judged? Obviously not as much, but maybe just because they are so odd.
I saw this connection as well. James' stepfather and her mother are simalar in many ways. But i think that love wasn't one of the biggest factors of their marrige. In the beigging of the book james explains that he lived away from them in redhook while they lived in queens. I think that they had a marrige of convience, he would help her out with the up keep of the house. But i think hat he infulenced her and his values sort of flowed onto her and she taught them to her kids
DeleteI see your connection, but I feel like there was another component. They both were distant when it came to relationships. Towards the kids, both of them didn't really pamper their children. They talked to them and the kids love them, but both of the parents seemed a bit distant.
DeleteInteresting conversation, guys. I, too, wondered about Hunter's decision to live separate from the family. James seems completely fine with it in his writing, and it seems like it didn't negatively affect his marriage with Ruth. But it still seems odd to me some how. Why do you think he lived apart from everyone? It seems like Ruth could have used his help around the house!
Delete"My black friends never judged me... they just said "Come as you are". -pg. 109-110
ReplyDeleteI thought this quote was highly significant because now we know why Ruth likes African Americans and why she married an African American. This is probably why her first boyfriend, Peter, was black because Ruth was finally being loved, accepted, and not judged or labeled as a Jew. But (because it is Ruth's life) their is always a sabotage to her happiness. Because Peter was black, Ruth had to hide her relationship from her family and friend(s). I think Ruth felt rebellious and like a normal teen because "On the Sabbath, Friday nights, it was a thrill for me to pretend I was going downstairs...to pick up torrid love notes he sent" (112). I think the feeling of dating someone outside her race made Ruth happy because, for once, she felt in control of one scenario in her life.
I agree that Peter made Ruth feel loved and accepted. I also agree that dating Peter gave her some control in her life because she had no freedom and had to spend most of her day working at the store. It made me wonder if James would feel the same way his mom did about having black friends if he didn't go to a mostly white school.
DeleteI agree with you, and after reading that line, I also finally knew why Ruth liked African Americans. I think Ruth was changed by this, having a black boyfriend, knowing that it was a big risk. And also I agree that having a black boyfriend did give her control,or maybe not freedom. But I thought dating a black person would somehow make her change for the better, and not to be rebellious.
DeleteI agree. I choose this quote as well and I can see what you mean. She really looked for someone who would accept and love her unconditionally. Ruth really felt in control for once and hasn't looked back ever since. Yes, it does make her rebellious, but she was making her own decisions to find the person she wanted to become.
DeleteI don't care what they show on TV, these stupid boys with guns and these murderers they show on the news. Those aren't the majority. Most blacks are peaceful and trusting. That's why they're made a fool of so easily" page 110
ReplyDeleteThis quote stood out to me because it's very true. Even now it's still like this. Also Ruth really knows what she's talking about. Ruth sees the true sides of people and doesn't listen to what people say when they speak badly about someones race. People stereotyped the blacks and that's why people had those views on them then. Everyone was to close minded to even see if there was any truth to the rumors about black people. Instead people went along with it because they were to afraid to be picked on if they didn't agree with what everyone was saying. Media does play a huge role in stereotyping. Almost everything you hear on the news/tv/internet is twisted around to make things sound worse than they actually are. Very few people back then were smart enough to ignore comments about race. As time went by more and more people became more open minded but still to this day we still have some people to ignorant to see the truth.
I agree and I think back then everyone just made assumptions based on skin color and racism probably partially comes from how black people were portrayed in movies and on tv. It can have a really negative effect on people but Ruth was able to see past that because she knew what it was like to seem different on the outside, the way she had to pretend she was happy with her family, while really she was scared and sad most of the time.
DeleteSO TRUE!! I think it is fascinating how well she is able to completely ignore what society is telling her. We do not realize how much the world be are born into shapes who we grow up to be. It's pretty scary. However, Ruth's opinions contradict everything society is telling her about race and statues. Ruth is truly an amazing person.
Delete"If there was one thing Tateh didn't like more than gentiles, it was black folks. And if there was one thing he didn't like about black folks in general, it was black men in particlar. So it stands to reason that the first thing i feel in love with in life was a black man"
ReplyDeletepg. 107
I liked this line a lot because it really relates to teenagers from all around and from all time periods. All we wanna be is what were told not to be. We have a sub-conscience impulse to do the opposite were told and espesially if were told not to do something explictly, because you know, if you make a fruit forbidden it makes it that much sweeter. And thats what Ruth did she pcked the forbidden fruit and took one big spiteful out of it...and I bet it was sweet.
"'Y'all are special,' he said. 'And just so special to me.'It was the only time i ever vaguely heard him refer to race in any way, however vaguely." (Pg.128)
ReplyDeleteThis statement, made when his stepfather's life was about to end, is echoed by the mutual feelings of the author. I, however do not necessarily think that this is a racial statement. Rather, seems to me that this is a statement made by a Southern gentleman. Any person who would adopt a widow with eight children has to be special, and he certainly was. His stepfather played an essential role in the author's life and insulation from all of the poverty around him.
"It was always so hot, and everyone was so polite, and everything was all surface but underneath it was like a bomb waiting to go off. I always felt that way about the South, that beneath the smiles and southern hospitality and politeness were a lot of guns and liquor and secrets." p. 111
ReplyDeleteI found this quote interesting because I think it shows one of the reasons why Ruth moved to New York. It is really hard to make it in New York, especially since Ruth was Jewish, married a black man, and had mixed-race children, and they were also poor. I think that the reason Ruth chose to live in such a tough place is because everything is natural and gritty and no one hides anything. I think that being somewhere where everything is open, good and bad, makes Ruth much more comfortable than she was in the South.
MS. KAUFMAN WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK?
ReplyDeleteAnyway here's my quote: "When they tore down his house, it was like they ripped out half his arteries." (Pg 125)
This really just confirmed my view of the dad. I felt like, while he loved this new family he had, he really liked to have a place alone, so he could switch between being a dad and this old-style sharp man. He seemed more distant than dads usually do, only talking about school and church, and maybe sharing jokes. I don't think he was trying to be distant, but just acted that way because he didn't know how to express himself. So I feel like the home was the place where he had to make sure everyone else was happy and fine before himself. It was his domain, where there was some peace and quiet. But when he lost that, he lost his ability to relax.
Haha! Hi Max. Isn't it sufficient to just have a virtual teacher? Just kidding. I have to go back tomorrow. It's day by day at this point.
DeleteI completely agree with what you're saying here. Its truly interesting how he was almost living a double life. Also interesting, is the point you brought up about him not being able to relax. I agree. He's worked so hard to make his house a place where he was truly comfortable, and when he lost that, he completely changed.
Delete“You’re white, and even if you are a Jew, since you’re white you’re better than a so-called colored. Well, I didn’t feel number one with nobody but him, and I didn’t give a hoot that he was black.” Pg. 113
ReplyDeleteThis quote stood out to me because it shows how much more confident Ruth was when she was with her boyfriend. She felt more respected by Peter than by the white community and her family because he gave her the love that no one would. I think Ruth really wanted people to accept their relationship because she knew Peter wasn’t a bad person like how society made him to be. I think fear prevents people from being open-minded in society which is why people are so quickly to judge others. I also feel like some people judge others based on the reputations of their race.
I agree. I think that she does not really understand the reason why whites were mean to blacks. She questioned it, but kept it to herself. I think that Ruth was in sort of like a "limbo stage" because she knows that white people are doing horrible things to blacks, like lynching but she wonders why they do it because Peter had never done anything bad to her except show her love.
Delete" I was fourteen and didn't know what a stroke was. For me,the two weeks or so he was in the hospital meant I could hang out with my friends as long and as late as I wanted to, and I avoided going to see him until mommy forced me to. "
ReplyDeleteThis stood out to me because it really shows how age can change a person. When James was younger he loved his stepfather and appreciated him. He loved when they would visit his family and have parties. Now that he is fourteen and his stepfather had a stoke he won't even go to see him in the hospital. He has to be forced to by his mother. I find it amazing because he knows he's a teenager and he thinks that it totally ignores that the person who helped raise him is in the hospital. He would rather stay out late with his friends. Although, he probably didn't visit because he didn't know what a stroke was. It was likely that James expected the worst and didn't go because he was scared of seeing his stepfather in that condition.
I think too that James was afraid of seeing his father. I think that he was afraid of confrontation with death especially the death of someone so close to him and he occupied his time by doing something else so his mind wouldn't wander to his stepfather. I think that he is dealing with his grief with a sort of denial and rejection of the idea that his stepfather is really hurt.
DeletePamela Yiadom
ReplyDelete"But as I became a teenager, I wanted the same things any teenage girl wants. I wanted love, nice clothes, a date."pg.107
This line stood out to me because it made me kind of see through Ruth's eyes as a teenage girl. Mostly every teen girl wants the same thing Ruth wanted. And as I was reading this, it looked like her race and the world was holding her back from having all these things any teenager might want. And it was like she didn't want the trouble for herself or in fact anyone, by having these things. But as she grew up she could't help it, even though she knew she could't have it. Teenagers sometimes can't help somethings even if it would cause trouble because it's part of nature and it's part of growing up. So I think that was what Ruth was experiencing at that time.
I find a lot of what you said to be very interesting. Throughout the book so far, I have been only looking at Ruth as a person who works for her children and no one else. The only feelings that she truly demonstrated was when she was running away from home for the sake of the wind blowing in her face and the feeling that she had that freedom, to just run from home without consequence. I think the showing of this other side of her really gave the reader (specifically me) a whole new perspective on her which will hopefully offer a greater understanding of her and her life as a whole.
DeleteI agree with both of you. i think that this chapter really gives you a new perspective of Ruth, and shows you how she didn't always not care what people think of her and her family, and in fact at one point really wanted to fit in. I think James might also fall in this lead. He obviously really cares what people think of him now, but I predict that as he gets older, and learns more about himself and his mom, he will start to care less and less.
Delete" "They will surely hang me." I grew frightened then. because he'd never talked that way before and I could tell he was afraid."
ReplyDeleteThis quote really stood out to me. Ruth has finally found happiness and love, but it is spoiled any way. She, and her boyfriend, can no longer find a way to hide their relationship, and are terrified of what society will do. Society is constantly shaping teenagers lives, and has been for longer than we realize. I never thought about what it would be like to be a teenager during a different time period. I also find it so interesting that "he never talked that way before". He understood the risk their relationship had, for both of them, but it didn't bother him. I guess he really believed they could hide it; until now. He now realizes that their is no escape. The fear of being hung seems foreign to us, but to them is was a very real fear. I feel so bad for Ruth, nothing ever goes right for her.
I agree with what you are saying. Society defiantly has a huge impact on teenagers but I think that growing up is different in different places. I wonder what Ruth would have been like if she grew up in NYC. Would she have more confidence? Would she feel like she had more freedom?
Delete'''He said that since I was the oldest living at home, I had to watch out for Mommy and my little brothers and sisters because ''y'all are special,'' he said. ''And just so special to me.'' ''' '''...I knew he was going to die and I had to blink back my tears.''' '''We joked and talked, but his chief concern had always been my '' schoolin' '' and ''church raising'' as he called it. He was not a man fro dialogue. That was Mommy's job.'''
ReplyDeleteThis quote was significant because up until the age of 5, James was without a father. The only living person that worked for his benefit was his mother. Yes, his siblings may have loved him but he was not their priority. 8 is a big number when that's the amount of kids you have. So as a single mother, it is unbelievable how Ruth raised them all so well. Despite her success as a mother, she needed help. Hunter Jordan Sr. was that help. He brought four more kids into the family and although it was still 12 kids, he helped create what Ruth dreamed of for her kids. A family! And not just a family based off religion, rules, and "YOUR FATHER SAID SOs"; it was a family based off love and generosity and care in the people you care most about. It also demonstrated the grown connection between stepfather and son or what they really are, father and son. James never had a father figure and although only for a brief time, Hunter Sr. was his chance to find that guidance.
"Mameh came up to me in the store a couple of days later while I was standing behind the counter and placed the bracelet on the counter. Real quiet. Just places it on the counter and limped back to her little chair" (P. 114)
ReplyDeleteI think that Ruth's mom has a huge impact on her life. I think that even though she is weak and not really a strong motherly figure Ruth is impacted by these little moments of kindness from her. Reading things like this I have to wonder why Ruth eventually left her parents. I feel like this kindness of her mother would've kept her there, but I feel like her mom would've done the same thing in her position it's just that her disability stopped her from doing it. This is why I think that they are more similar than Ruth lets on. I think she models herself after her mother in a way in which she shows kindness to most people unless they have proven that they don't deserve her kindness.
Contradicting this I feel that Ruth dislikes how naive her mother is and how she let her father run over her. This is where she gets her hotheadedness and strength from. She wants to do all she can to embody her mother's kindness but she never wants to be ask weak as she was.
I agree but the forces that are driving Ruth from her home is not her mother's kindness. What she faces- the indifference of her father & the hostility of Southern white society to Jews and blacks. The kindness of her mother is one of the most important factors in her reluctant to leave her home and childhood environment. Finally there is her overwhelming desire to lead a life that is happy.
Delete“I’d like to say I didn’t care about my classmates, and what they thought of me. But when I was a teenager I wanted to be like them—” (p. 108)
ReplyDeleteWhile reading this quote stood out to me because I think it brings about a topic that not only appears in this book and The Catcher in the Rye but also in our everyday lives. Ruth brings up the topic of fitting in a trying to mold to society. We know she has problems with this because she’s Jewish, and James has trouble with this because he’s African American and white, and has no idea where he comes from. However, fitting in is a problem that happens everywhere everyday and it’s interesting to see how it really does, and has effected everyone, everywhere forever. It brings up the question again why everyone feels the need to fit it? This chapter specifically makes you think about how fitting has applied to many different concepts and areas in the 1930s or even the 1960s then it does today. Things that matter then like race, don’t seem to play such a big role, and things that matter now, didn’t seem to matter then.
I totally agree with you on this. As teenagers, we're exposed to A LOT of different things all at once sometimes and each of these things effect us for the rest of our lives whether we notice it or not. Its something that we can't necessarily control and stop. We just have to learn to get around it.
Delete"That was a big thing in the south. You're white, and even if you're a jew, since you're white you're better than so-called colored." P.113
ReplyDeleteThis stood out to me, because the south was very corrupt. We see that the black people weren't treated nicely and they felt like they had no value. They were not accepted in communities and had to live alone. At that time, most white people thought that black people were criminals and thieves, but it isn't true. Ruth says on page 113, " Well, I didn't feel number one with nobody but him, and I didn't give a hoot that he was black. He was kind! And good! He knew that!" Ruth didn't look at the color of Peter's skin, but his personality, and I think Ruth is showing her children how to be the same way.
"Blacks have always been peaceful and trusting. I don't care what they show on TV, these stupid boys with guns and these murderers they show on the news. Those aren't the majority. Most blacks are peaceful and trusting. That's why they're made a fool of so easily." (110)
ReplyDeleteI loved this quote because it stood out so much to me. It stood out to me because I can relate to this on a personal level almost everyday, knowing that I come from an African-American family. On the news, I always see killings or shootings or some kind of violence that always involves a black person. When I see these things, I always wonder why its always a black person and I always think to myself that THIS is why blacks have disgusting and some hatred towards them. The media doesn't really show the GOOD things black contribute to the world. Its always the negatives. This can cause a lot of problems in society for blacks and just in general and I think thats what Ruth is saying and is what she's trying to get through to her kids; that being black doesn't mean you are of bad people or do bad things. You don't have to be bad, you can choose to be good. And not all black men, specifically, are bad and dangerous.
How do we change this perception in the media? It's ramifications are so severe and often make a vicious cycle. At my old school in Queens, we had to walk through metal detectors to get in the building. I swear, making kids walk through metal detectors made them feel like criminals even though they were just trying to get to class on time. If a student was searched and harassed by police officers at 8 am in the morning, that student's day was ruined and it was hard for him to focus in class. He would come in to school with his belt hanging from his neck, playing the part. I knew he was the sweetest kid in the world, but he was playing the part that others created for him.
Delete"...as I became a teenager, I wanted the same things any teenage girl wants. I wanted love, nice clothes, a date."pg.107
ReplyDeleteThis quote stood out to me because it shows me how Ruth was as a child. I choose this quote as a significent one because it made me wonder why Ruth wanted to be around other people and actualy want love. Usually many girls that were abused by their family members, especially one of their parents, tend to not want anything from anyone. But Ruths hunger for love and everything else a young child wanted shows me that she was actually like every other person, it also shows me that she doesnt let things like her pass phase her because she is a strong person, and it made me like Ruths charcater even more.
This relates to the real world because many people that are abused in their childhood dont like affection from other people and are usually very isolated. In Ruths case its different because she, in my thoughts a stronger person and I apreciate the things that she has been able to accomplish even though she has gone through a tough childhood. What I do want to know is why Ruth is still saine and normaly even though she was abused in her childhood? I wonder if this is the normal for her?
Delete"in fact that' what I liked about black folks all my life: They never judged me." Page 109.
ReplyDeleteThis quote is in chapter 11 and Ruth is the narrator. I think that this quote is significant because it tells us the reader why Ruth likes black people so much. Ruth grew up in a white judgmental environment, where she would get judged easily in school because she was Jewish. When Ruth was exposed to black people who seemed to have it even worse than she had it but were happy she felt like her life had hope. Black people were the people in her life who taught her how to feel hope. I think that in a way this connects to present day because many people in the world also get inspired or feel not judged by certain people and these certain people convey a sense of comfortability towards other people. This is exactly how Ruth feels towards black people. She feels like she can be herself around black people.
"So it stands to reason that the first thing I fell in love with in life was a black man."
ReplyDeleteThis quote stood out to me because it made me think why did she marry a black man. Ruth married a black man instead of a white one because jews and blacks had something in common at the time. They were both segregated from society and they were both discriminated against. Few people liked black or jews in society. Ruth liked that fact that black people wouldn't judge her and that she could be herself around them because no one really cared. I like how Ruth can see the truth so easily when its so hard for the rest of the world to realize that barely any black are what they expect them to be.
I agree with you on how Blacks and the Jews were separate from society, so it makes sense for them to be drawn to each other. The biggest difference between the Jews and the blacks is that the Jews are also racist and the Blacks tend to accept people from all walks of life. In the color of water, black people are very open and loving, and the jewish people are closed off and secluded.
Delete"They just said, 'Come as you are.' Blacks have always been peaceful and trusting." (Page 110)
ReplyDeleteThis quote really stood out to me. It stood out to me because as readers we are starting to uncover why Ruth made the decision to leave home. It wasn't just because her family was unaffectionate and judgmental, there were other reasons as well. This quote suggests that she saw the person she wanted to become in these people, peaceful and trusting. We can conclude that Ruth never had a person with these traits to look up to and she admired it. The "Come as you are" part also suggests that Ruth didn't want to change for someone like she would have if she had stayed home. She might be different from the people she lives with now, but she is accepted in her own way. Sometimes people feel the need to be a part of something when they have no one to hold on to. It feels like Ruth really needed to escape her past life and be accepted in her new one.
I agree with what you are saying, about Ruth running away because she was judged and her family didn't seem to love her. But this makes me wonder, why does she not seem to relate to or understand when her daughter runs away? Shouldn't she be supportive, and not overly strict if that's why she ran away from her family?
Delete'''He said that since I was the oldest
ReplyDeleteliving at home, I had to watch out for
Mommy and my little brothers and
sisters because ''y'all are special,'' he
said. ''And just so special to me.'' '''
'''...I knew he was going to die and I
had to blink back my tears.''
This passage had so much significant to me
because it shows the hidden relationship
between James and his stepfather. The McBride/Jordan family is not a family to share their emotion or feelings and the fact that Hunter opens up when he knows he is going to die, shows the deep love he has for James and the rest of the family. James, who only has Hunter as his role model, is broken when Hunter does die, and he falls into drugs and alcohol. As he falls into that, it reflects back James's inability to cope with the emotional stress and lost of a loved one.
"That's the first thing I liked about him, in fact that's what I like about black folk all my life: They never judged me," (p.109).
ReplyDeleteThis quote stood out to me because it illuminated why Ruth seems to feel such a deep connection to the black community, not only as a child. She falls in love with a black man in her very segregated town, "not on purpose," and she raises her many children in a mostly black society. While this may have been quote on quote, "not on purpose," I think that Ruth felt this sort of connection to the African-amrican community because they were persecuted and so was she in her the small town she grew up in. She just felt more like them then any of the other white people, because she was Jewish, and made fun of for it.
I agree with you, I also want to add that I think she thinks of her self first as a jew and second as a white person. She feels that its easier to relate to blacks then it is to white people even though she is white. The thing that I dont get though is if she would rather be around blacks, why does she decide to send her kids to white-jewish schools?
Delete"for me, the two weeks or so he was in the hospital meant I could hang out with my friends as long and as late as I wanted to, and I avoided going to see him until mommy forced me to"
ReplyDeleteI found this quote interesting because it greatly misrepresented how much James loved his father. James looked up to his father, and truly loved him. In the text, James almost implies that he's happy when he's in the hospital, because he gets to hang out with his friends later. James is unconsciously avoiding the hospital, because it pains him to see his father suffering.
Oscar Belkin-Sessler
ReplyDelete12/4/12
The Color Of Water
Blog #5
"That's the first thing I liked about him, in fact that's what I like about black folk all my life: They never judged me," (PG.109)
I chose this quote because it showed the relationship between Blacks and Jews in this segregated town. In a lot of ways they are treated the same, but the discrimination is uneven. Jews can hide behind their skin color, but blacks will always be black. Even with this unevenness, I still found that in this town it seems like it was easier for Jews to get along/converse with blacks than with whites, even though they themselves were white. Ruth was not very fond of her religion; at times she would hide, or create a fake not Jewish name. But at other times she would embrace her differences and be with other people that were discriminated. When does she choose to do this two different things, and why?
"'Why don't you go to New York this summer to see your grandmother?' she said." -page 115
ReplyDeleteI chose this quote because at the beginning of the book, Mameh doesn't talk as much but, this quote shows how much she cares about her daughter and would do anything for her. She said that Ruth should go to New york because she found out that she was pregnant. I actually think that her mom was trying to protect her daughter from being killed and who knows what her father would've have done to her if he found out that she was with a black man.
I was also wondering that maybe that baby could've have been her fathers child. Ruth did say her dad molested maybe he got her pregnant and it wasn't really the black guys baby but, i guess we'll never know.