The Color of Water

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The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother James McBride Study Guide – Chapter 1 : Dead Name _________________________ 1. Where and when was the narrator of this chapter born? What is her attitude toward her family? 2. What name did the narrator use when she came to America? When did she get rid of that name? Why? 3. What did the narrator’s family do when she got married? 4. What was the narrator’s father’s name? What did they call him? What was his occupation? 5. Describe Tateh’s appearance and personality. 6. What simile is used to describe Tateh at the end of Chapter 1? 7. Describe the mother. What was her name? Where was she from? The Color of Water, James Mc Bride Study Guide – Chapter 2 : The Bicycle Name ________________________ 1. What are the names of James’ biological father and step-father? 2. Explain what McBride meant by his mothers’ bicycle riding, “typified her whole existence to me.” 3. What was mom an expert in? What issues did she avoid? What is Yiddish? 4. What was the first time James was alone with his mother? 5. The statement, “that memory blinked like a distant fog light in a stormy sea and it drowned my panic,” is an example of? The Color of Water, James Mc Bride Study Guide – Chapter 3 : Kosher Name _________________________ 1. What is a rov? Whose marriage was arranged? 2. Describe Ruth’s mother’s experience in Poland. 3. Describe the meals at Zaydeh and Bubeh’s? 4. When did the Sabbath begin and end? What were they allowed to do? Why was this hard for Ruth? 5. What does it mean when Ruth’s family “sat shiva” for her deceased grandfather? 6. Why is Ruth claustrophobic? The Color of Water, James McBride Study Guide –

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