Parenting Styles in The Color of Water by James McBride
This paper analyzes the contrasting parenting styles presented in James McBride's memoir The Color of Water, focusing on three key parental figures: Ruth McBride Jordan, Hunter Jordan, and Fishel "Tateh" Shilsky. The paper argues that Ruth's determined, education-focused, and tolerant approach to raising her twelve multiracial children was shaped largely in reaction to her own abusive upbringing. Hunter Jordan is examined as a supportive, devoted stepfather, while Tateh Shilsky is presented as a controlling and emotionally cold patriarch whose cruelty drove his entire family away. Together, these portrayals illuminate how parental behavior is both inherited and actively resisted across generations.
- Ruth McBride Jordan: Strength, Resilience, and Devoted Motherhood: Ruth's tolerant, education-focused parenting shaped by hardship
- Hunter Jordan: A Reliable and Loving Stepfather: Hunter's devoted, supportive role as stepfather of twelve
- Fishel 'Tateh' Shilsky: Control, Abuse, and Emotional Absence: Tateh's abusive, controlling parenting drives family apart
- Conclusion: Contrasting Models of Parenthood: Control versus love as opposing parenting extremes
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What makes this paper effective
- It organizes a character analysis around a clear central argument: that parenting styles in the memoir are defined by the contrast between control and love, with Ruth's approach explicitly framed as a conscious rejection of her abusive upbringing.
- Each parental figure receives a dedicated section, allowing systematic comparison and preventing the analysis from becoming muddled or disjointed.
- The paper grounds its claims in specific textual evidence — such as Tateh sitting Shiva for Ruth and Hunter adopting Ruth's children — rather than relying on vague generalizations.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates effective comparative character analysis. By placing three parental figures side by side and evaluating each against shared criteria (discipline, emotional support, tolerance, and values transmission), the writer builds a layered argument about how McBride's memoir critiques authoritarian parenting while celebrating resilient, self-sacrificing love. This technique allows the conclusion to emerge organically from the accumulated evidence.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a thesis-driven introduction establishing Ruth as the memoir's dominant parental figure. It then devotes sequential body sections to Ruth, Hunter Jordan, and Tateh Shilsky. Each section follows a consistent pattern: introducing the figure's role, analyzing their parenting methods, and connecting their behavior to broader themes of race, religion, and family. A brief conclusion synthesizes the contrast between controlling and nurturing parenthood.
Ruth McBride Jordan: Strength, Resilience, and Devoted Motherhood
Ruth McBride Jordan is the strongest figure in James McBride's memoir, The Color of Water. As the mother of twelve children, Ruth did all she could to ensure that her children grew up to be independent and self-sufficient individuals. Ruth's own family background greatly influenced the methods and attitudes with which she raised her multiracial children. She tried to teach her children the strong work ethic she had learned from her parents, while firmly rejecting the abusive and intolerant environment of her upbringing.
Because of the many hardships she was forced to endure throughout her life, Ruth became a determined, exceptionally strong mother. She was tough yet tender and loving with her children. She tried to look past the issues of race that plagued her family throughout their lives, and as a result she sometimes created a chaotic environment for her many children, who grew up during the Civil Rights movement in America.
Ruth focused on a disciplined yet tolerant approach to parenting. She emphasized the importance of education and sent her children to the finest schools despite the logistical challenges involved. Moreover, Ruth's children were expected to work hard during their summer breaks, reinforcing the self-reliance she valued so deeply. Although Ruth applied the lessons her parents had taught her about hard work, she never resorted to the kind of coercion her father had used to control her. Similarly, despite being a deeply spiritual person, Ruth never forced religion on her children the way her father had forced it on her.
Ruth McBride Jordan instilled in her children a love of family, of God, and of ethical living. Her children respected her, even when they rebelled. Although Ruth was an unconventional, quirky parent, she gave of herself entirely to her children — her whole life was devoted to loving them.
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