The Color of Water

1
The Color of Water

• A Black Mans Tribute to his White Mother

2
Our students at first arrival

• were born in 1990 or 1991
• want to identify with characters in novels
• want to like the book
• do not keep up well with reading assignments
  without help
• have some trouble organizing their thoughts
  about a book (besides telling the plot line)
• Did not experience most historical events
  mentioned here

3
Biography memoir some questions to ask yourself

• Does it claim to be truth or fiction?
• Is it chronological? (dramatic touches added?)
• Is there a frame story outside the biography?
• Is the biographical subject cooperative? Why
  does this make a difference in the telling?
• How does the author get information from his
  subject? How does he structure his search?
• How is Rachels identity formed? How is James
  McBrides identity formed?

4
Possible plots in CoW

• The story of immigration to America
• Achieving the American Dream through education
• Women overcoming tragedy oppression
• Filial love/maternal love
• Growing up in the sixties and seventies
• Variations on the black family in America
• Overcoming racism and religious differences
• A fairy tale of the lost child that ends with a
  marriage

5
Author technique text

• Italics for Rachels story Plain text for Ruth
  family
• Contrast in chapter titles old/new world, two
  halves, Judaism/Christianity old family/new
  family
• Title of book appears in New Testament, p. 51.
  Why here?
• List of children , their degrees and jobs in
  Finding Ruthie, p. 275 . Why here?

6
Analysis projects

• Write up Rachel/Ruths sexual /marital history
• Describe James memoir as a coming of age
  narrative family upbringing, crime, conversion,
  marriage, success
• James is a journalist by trade. How does his
  training shape the text? Can he tell Ruths story
  as a newspaper feature?
• This story circles around well-kept secrets. Is
  it a mystery story? Which secrets are at the
  center of the plot, and why?
• Explain the dedications, the foreword, The
  Dead, the Epilogue. Why are these texts not
  included in the main text? What functions do they
  serve?

7
Creative Activities

• Write a haiku about Ruth/Rachels life
• Do a time line of Ruth/Rachels life with key
  American historical events
• Create a journey map of Europe and America
  showing Rachel and her familys movements
• Describe the life journey of someone significant
  in your family
• Alternative endings for Rachel Shilsky and James
  McBride (tragedy or mediocrity instead of
  triumph)

8
Grading

• Correct grammar and spelling
• Accuracy with plot and characters
• Main point or argument
• Structured approach
• Balanced presentation of possible points of
  view
• Connection between beginnings and ends of
  paragraphs
• Connections between paragraphs
• Carefully constructed sentences