Facing Difficult Decisions

Jordan Hassel

English 095

Dr. McBride

March 20th, 2012

Facing Difficult Decisions

            The Color of Water, by James McBride, is the story of his Mother as she told it to him after fourteen years of digging up the truth. James McBride always knew that his Mother was different. Every time he inquired about her color, she’d plainly say, “I’m light-skinned,” which greatly confused James about his own racial uniqueness as a child. But as an adult, James was finally given the opportunity to tell his story from his mother’s view as well as his own.

            Frances says, “I understand, Ruth. I’ll graduate by myself, then, because I don’t want to graduate next to anyone but you.” (158). This was a very difficult decision for Ruth because she was told by her Father that she wasn’t allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony. Ruth went back and forth many times before she finally decided that she couldn’t go inside that church, because in her heart, she was still a Jew. Tears running down her face, Ruth watched her best friend walk inside to graduate alone next to her empty seat. The next day, Ruth caught a Greyhound bus to New York and never looked back. I don’t think we ever heard much from Frances again until the end of the novel when James decided to track her down for his mother. Her name was changed from Frances Moody to Frances Falcone, and she was living in

Portsmouth. James was very surprised at the fact of how truly disinterested his mother was about reuniting with her oldest and dearest friend.

  Dee-Dee says, “I know you’re going to leave, Rachel. Don’t leave. Don’t go back to New York.” (201). These words were somewhat shocking coming from Dee-Dee because Ruth had never really pictured her sister as someone very close to her. Dee-Dee was proud, so for her to ask Ruth to stay… well, she certainly meant it. They just didn’t talk to each other in that way, so for her to come out and say what she was feeling must have been very hard for her. It hurt Ruth more than words can describe because she knew right then, that she couldn’t stay. Even still, Ruth ended up promising Dee-Dee that she would stay, but in the end broke that promise. Then later when Ruth contacted her sister for help, she was instantly reminded of that broken promise and shut her sister out.

            Aunt Mary says, “You’re out of the family. Stay out. We sat shiva for you. You can’t see her.” (216). These words knocked the wind out of Ruth. Even still, she knew that no matter how high the stakes, she needed to see her Mother. But it was just too late, a few days later Ruth received a phone call from Dennis while she was at work. He told her that Mother had just passed away, Ruth was devastated. In the months following her Mother’s death she didn’t know what to do or even who she was anymore. Dennis was there for her through it all, finally convincing Ruth that God forgives all and her mother’s death was out truly out of her hands.