Symbolism In Mcbride's The Color Of Water

In the book the Color of Water, Hunter Jordan, James ' stepfather, died of a sudden stroke when he was younger. His mother first married a man named Andrew McBride, that was James’ biological dad, but was only alive to see the moment where his mother, Ruth, re-married to Hunter. When he had died each one of them had a different way of grieving. Ruth rode a blue bicycle Hunter had brought in before he died. For example, James explains how his mother rides the bike around everyday and “... what the world thought of her, a nonchalance in the face of what i perceived to be imminent danger from the blacks and whites who disliked her for being a white person in a black world.” (McBride 8). She ignored everyone and everything that came across her.

They had different ways of handling the situation. For example, James was caught up in the influence of society, “ I snatched purses. I shoplifted. I even robbed a petty drug dealer once.” (McBride 6). As one can see he was pretty unstable for a twelve year back then to deal with a family death. In addition, another way James took his father 's death was by protecting his mother from the outside world. She was the white woman living in a black world and no one was comfortable with that fact. Because of his father’s death there was no one to protect her and he always stayed there watching her replacing his father 's position “ I thought black power would be the end of my mother.”(McBride 26) because James clearly realized that black and whites never got along and his mom was in both, so it put her in danger. His fear for his mother 's safety was unstable he always worried for her “A Black Panther? Next to Mommy? It was my worst nightmare come true… Suppose the Black Panther wanted to kill her?” (McBride 36). One thing in common him and his mother had was to stick with religion as a resolution to cure them spiritually. As mentioned, “Mommy took great pride in our relationship with God.” (McBride 53), although, James was young he was still curious about things of his miracle , but he definitely looked up to him and even more as he grew with understanding of his