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James and Ruth's Find Themselves
The many turning points they face help with self acceptance
Power To The People
- James finds fear in the rise of black power as he views the black activists as a threat to his caucasian mother. Although he is just a small boy, he is exposed to the harsh realities of the world and has a clear understanding of the severe turmoil between the black and white race.
Cuts Like a Knife
The reality of racisms cruel ways hits James emotionally as he ventures into the world on his own. As he matures into a young adult he learns more and more about how severe racism is at this time, and although he briefly hopes it will come to an end with a short matter of years, he begins to understand that this will be a brutal endeavor for justice.
Two Views, One World
“My view of the world is not merely that of a black man but that of a black man with something of a Jewish soul” (McBride, 103).
James comes to not only find his true self but to learn to see his biracial ethnicity as a privilege and appreciate coming from two different backgrounds. Growing up James questioned his identity and had a lot of trouble accepting who he was and where he came from but as the novel continues, James continues to mature and grow into a much wiser young man. He accepts both parts of his race entirely and incorporates different traits and parts of each culture into separate areas of his life and persona. He realizes that his dual ethnicity gives him the opportunity to have a two different perspectives and points of view to look at the world from.
Two Worlds Collide
“I thought it would be easier if we were just one color, black or white. I didn't want to be white. My siblings had already instilled the notion of black pride in me. I would have preferred that Mommy were black. Now, as a grown man, I feel privileged to have come from two worlds.” (McBride, 103)
As a child James despises his biracial ethnicity and envisions an easier life if he were just black. His siblings influenced him to connect with his black side and he wished his mother were also black because he felt things as a whole would just be easier but as a grown man he comes to value both parts of his ethnicity.
When Reality Strikes
“Instead it smashed me across the face like a bottle when I walked into the real world”. (McBride, 204).
- The reality of racisms cruel ways hits James emotionally as he ventures into the world on his own. As he matures into a young adult he learns more and more about how severe racism is at this time, and although he briefly hopes it will come to an end with a short matter of years, he begins to understand that this will be a brutal endeavor for justice.
Ruth's Transformation
One In the Same
“[Mommy] viewed the civil rights achievements of African Americans with pride, as if they were her own. And she herself occasionally talked about ‘the white man’ in third person as if she had nothing to do with him, and in fact she didn’t, since most of her friends were black women from church”. (McBride,32).
Ruth finds a connection with African Americans on a personal level and prides the civil rights achievements as if she were one and the same of the black people. She resonates with the black people as she has many black friends who influence her outlook and personality.
Not All That Glitters is Gold
“Am I black or white?” “You’re a human being,” she snapped. “Educate yourself or you’ll be a nobody!”
- Ruth tells her children that education is key to having a great future. She knows that education is important because she didn't have a great education and she wants that for her children. Ruth explains that an educated mind is everything. Regardless of color, a small mind is valueless. Ruth helps James understand that it is not what color you are but who you are inside that matters.
Open Arms, Grateful Heart
“My black friends never asked me how much money I made, or what school my children went to, or anything like that. They just said, "Come as you are."
pages 109-110
- Ruth appreciates the humble quality she finds in black people. She feels safe with them and for the first time feels genuinely welcomed as she is viewed as an outcast by many others at her school. Ruth feels that the black people accept her for who she is regardless things such as financial status or race.
- In the McBride household race was something to be proud of but also not a big topic of conversation. Race was who you were and the children were to be taught to be proud of that.
“I was ashamed of my mother, but see, love didn't come natural to me until I became a Christian." (page 38)
- Ruth explains that in this quote that loving people didn't come easy to her. She didn't learn to love until she became a christian. Ruth learned how to accept and love others. She learned how to love others and her mother.
- Ruth sees in her community of black that the people accept her for who she is. They do not judge her on her color or that she's a white women with black children. As they accept her she learns how to accept who she is and to come as herself.