[Student’s Last Name]1

[Student’s Name]

[Instructor’s Name]

[Course Title]

27 March 2018

Ruth Character Analysis- The Color of Water

Introduction

‘In life, everyone faces struggle and challenges that help us to build and define who we are.’ It

might be possible that most of the obstacles would melt away if we make up our mind to walk

boldly through them instead of cowering before them. The character of the Ruth in the novel is

precisely of that kind. She was a Jewish immigrant in America. She lives in Suffolk in the state

of Virginia where racial tension and Jewish prejudice were very high.

Even at school, she faced discrimination as she has Jewish legacy with her. Her highly tense

domestic life, loveless life of her parents, handicap mother, abusive father and abounded family

structure are some stimulus that urges to struggle for her identity. She left her abusive father,

mother and even highly intolerant religion. She has gone through the number of changes and

trials that enable her to leads an extraordinary life she led. Her difficult life that filled with

responsibilities but instead of destructing her surroundings, she managed to keep her head high.

Her traveling to New York and working at her aunt factory was also turning point to her life.

Love sometimes could prove to heal for an individual and provide support to be head on. It

works exceptionally with the character to get a light or a window for breath. Her love with the

Andrew McBride gave her a reason to live. However, the death of her mother was not less than

fragmented her entire life. She felt her religion a cell that does not allow humans to live freely

according to principles of natures. Her grief for her mother death was a great dilemma of her life.
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That is why she changes her religion. These struggles, trying to become better Christen and high

stress upon the well-being and better brought up of the children made her very strict. No doubt,

she was a good mother that even at the age of 72 ruled like an army officer. However, delicacy

her fragileness and friendliness all are sacrificed due to her principles. Her life was all about

running, emotional discrimination and struggle for the self-identity. Hence, all these

circumstances would not stop her she not only made her identity as independent women but also

keep her move on with full speed. The adopted a learning behavior and spent her entire life in

learning different problem and grasping upon problem-solving skills.

Transition

Belonging to Jewish background and a disturbing family was very painful for the Ruth. Right

after her graduation she left her home and started living her life at South. Rocky influence her

life very deeply. He was the first man she met in Harlem when she was struggling for her work.

She trusted him as Rocky was unbeknownst and later she found out he was a pimp. At that time

she left her house at night that was attempted almost to ruin her future. She said a prostitute,

which I almost did become." (McBride, Pg.172). Rocky totally changes her views and

expectations about the life. She has no plan to live even be confused about her future survival.

Her life was full of struggle, and instead of getting a good life and get relief from her harsh

family environment she continues to get herself from the swampland of grief and remorse.

Character supporting example

Her character was very much similar to the Marie-Lazarre-Kashpaw of Love Medicine. She also

experienced a life that filled with the responsibilities. However, instead of destruction, she does

not let the grief and failure overcome. She became healthy and developed the good stamina to

face the problems of her life (Erdrich). Both characters faced the same type of stress, lost their
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love ones and came across the difficult decision in their life. They face family trouble and

struggle a lot that made both of these characters independent women. In “The Fifth Chinese

Daughter” a young Chinese female trapped between her American belief and teachings of her

native city. However, similarly, her knowledge and urge for independence tend her to defy offs

against her (Wong). These spectacular females, who belongs to different background and many

other differences seems to share a similar struggle in their life. All these women (Wong, Ruth,

and Marie) wants to break the traditional barriers, and everyone came to the difficult decisions,

lose their family but at the end become strong and powerful transformation as being independent.

Ruth Childhood

Ruth spends a challenging and highly miserable childhood. Her mother was polio patients, and

she was not more than a handicap for her family. That embarrassment, in reality, allures her to

struggle for her identification. Living in the town of highly prejudice black and conflict

community and facing lots of trouble both at home and schools made her rebellion. He father

was a stock keeper and Rabbi, who also was very abusive to his family. Rabbis are the oral

interpreter of Torah. They devoted all their life to the education and preaching of Torah all

around the world and ensure to inculcate it among the upcoming generations (Rabbi). That is

why they are very strict in growing their children with having primary Judaism characters in life.

It might be possible being a daughter of a rabbi father also inclines her to break the social,

cultural and societal bars. Her discipline life, religious conscious and regular praying even after

the religion change linked with her of brought up.

Youth and Adulthood

She got admission for the completing her graduation and also took part in the extracurricular

activities. But life did not do well with her at the college. Her fellow girls discriminate her and
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do not allow her to sit with them. Cruelty was when her class fellow refused to dance with her as

she was a Jew. Constant discrimination, stress and banned her entry examination hall that was a

church enable her to complete her college education. Nevertheless, Ruth succeeded to flee from

her tyrannical father and started living in New York and completed her education at New York.

That indicates problem-solving and predictive thinking powers and desired for the better future

of Ruth. Instead of damage her personality these circumstances made her very robust and

visionary person. She starts searching alternatives and learns to stick to her stance instead of

suffering from the inferiority complex or self-sympathies.

She worked at a leather factory and married with Andrew. He was a black man who changes her

views about the religion. Although, after her, the death of her mother the guilt of left her mother

behind made her change her religion. Nevertheless, Andrew also inspired her to take this

decision. She married two African American men and lived a life in poverty. After the death of

her husband, Ruth somehow manages to raise her seven children and with one on the way. Her

zeal for success was so intense that somehow she managed to raise 12 children. She did not lose

hope and married Hunter Jordan who offers a family life and love to Ruth children including

James.

Her son James was spoiled at his teen, but relocation decision of Ruth also contribute to his

better life. Although, religion and race were interwoven in the life of Ruth her desire for the

family love and her unshakeable triumph; when she was passing through the poverty made her a

healthy and disciplined mother. Mother’s will and unwavering insistence of Ruth enable her to

place the church and school on the priority list for her children.

Ruth as mother
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Ruth was a very visionary mother; she wants her children to become real human beings in their

future life. That is why she emphasized upon the school and religious teaching. Like her father,

she was also very religious female, but she focuses on the Christianity instead of being Jewish.

However, the difference is she belongs to a broken family that is why she learns to express love

and bonding among the household members. So, that starts living like the unit and shares their

emotions both in joy and grief with each other. She played a role of role model mother who

emphasized upon the character as well as personality building of their children. She also pays

attention to the skills development site of her children so, that they can withstand against the

thick and thin situation of their life. Her hard time made her a highly mature person who knows

how to arm a person to lead a successful life.

Conclusion

Ruth character is all about the struggle of a persona for getting an identity in the society and

community. She was a part of broken family, live a hard life and even was at hair inch escape of

being a prostitute when a pimp exploited her. But she completed her degree. She was rebellion

but not racist she not only love but married a black man. At the age of 74 instead of living a life

of handicap like her mother, she continues her life as a commander in chief. She has the full

power of her family and has an important place for taking any decision for the household. Her

belief was little money, faith; God will every marriage will work. That was the reason for losing

her loving husbanding she did not lose her faith for a next successful marriage life. Character

lesson, Control the circumstance and made a pavement for you or the other to gear your life

choice id all yours.

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Bibliography

Erdrich, Louise. PEOPLE WITH HOLES IN THEIR LIVES. 1984.

<http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/12/06/specials/erdrich-medicine.html>.

Rabbi. Movements of Judaism. 2011. <http://www.jewfaq.org/movement.htm#US>.

Wong, Jade Snow. Fifth Chinese Daughter. 1989.