The Color of Water-Week 5, Post B

Dear James,
I sincerely enjoyed your memoir. You are a talented writer who really has a knack for appealing to the reader. There were so many emotions and events that I was able to relate to, or just understand because of your detail and feeling. I think it is quite honorable to write about your mother because it was actually beneficial to you to write this memoir. You learned about a side of your mother who you never saw. It's incredible that you lived with her your whole life and you were never given insight into this seperate life of your mother's. Clearly, you stuggled with an identity crisis for most of your life, being of mixed races. I believe that you experienced a great deal of self-acceptance when you were finally allowed into your mother's past. Even though your mother stressed all through your upbringing that you musn't identify yourself and others by race, you seemed to have great difficulty ignoring this controversial subject. Race, especially between blacks and whites, was a hot-button issue in your day. You had a father who was black and a mother who was white. That was uncommon back then. I can understand your confusion. That is why I think it was so important for you to write this memoir. You wrote about yourself AND your mother, and connecting the two was a smart move. This memoir is an inspiration to any child struggling with an identity crisis. It is important to know about your past before you can make decisions about your future.

Thank you for writing this fascinating memoir.

Sincerely,
Emily

The Color of Water-Week 5, Post A

Vocab:
-Stilted (257): Stiffly dignified or formal, as speech or literary style; pompous.
-Nebulous (262): Hazy, vague, indistinct, or confused.

Appeals:
"I watched as the worlds of blacks and whites smashed together in newsrooms and threw off chunks of human carnage that landed at my feet."(263) This passage represents an emotional appeal because obviously, the people McBride is describing are not literally ripping of human carnage from eachother and throwing them around. It is supposed to represent an emotional image the reader must create.

"The Post style section is the top of the line, the elite, the haute cuisine, the green, green grass of heaven for newspaper feature writers, and quitting there is not something you do lightly, not even for a seasoned quitter like me."(265-266) This quote represents a logical appeal because it is describing the significance of being a writer for the Washington Post.

"I envisioned her as the wise sage, sitting in a rocking chair, impassively pouring the moving details of her life into my waiting tape recorder over six weeks, maybe two months, me prodding her along, her cooperating, cringing, inching along, mother and son, hand in hand, fighting forward, emotionally wrought, until--behold! We'd be done six months later, and the world would be graced with our mighty tome." (268) This passage represents a logical appeal because it gives the reader specific details allowing the reader to envision the scene. I suppose it represents an emotional appeal as well because the reader can also imagine the emotions and feelings of the scene.

Quote:
"It was a fascinating lesson in life history--a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction marvel, to say the least. I felt like a Tinkertoy kid building my own self out of one of those toy building sets; for as she laid her life before me, I reassembled the tableau of her words like a picture puzzle, and as I did, so my own life was rebuilt."(269-270) I liked this quote because it sums up McBride's feelings about himself nicely. He seemed to be going through a constant identity crisis his entire life and now that he is finally learning about his mother's past (and part of his heritage) he is beginning to experience a feeling of self-acceptance. I think he went through his life believing that a part of him was missing and he was correct. His mother never told him anything about her life or her past and I think it ultimately halted his journey to finding out where he belongs. He must feel more complete now.

Theme:
The theme that seems present in this portion of the memoir is belonging. Trying to feel like you belong in your own skin.

The Color of Water-Week 4, Post B

Significant Quote:
"I was home and I got a call from a doctor at the hospital about six in the morning. He asked if I was Mrs. McBride. I said I was. He said, 'Mr. McBride just passed away.' I said, 'That's impossible. He wasn't that sick.' The doctor said, 'He had cancer,' and hung up. That's the first time they told me he had cancer. That's the first I ever heard of it." (243-244) This quote was shocking to me. James's father had been in the hospital so many times before he died there and the doctor's knew he had cancer and they couldn't bother to tell his family. Ruth often stated how she could hear the doctor's talking about her behind her back, thinking she couldn't hear them. She knew they were opposed of her marriage to a black man, but it seems uncanny that this view of their relationship would stop these doctors from telling her that her husband had a fatal disease. Who knows if they even did all they could to treat him? Maybe he could have survived.

The Color of Water-Week 4, Post A

Vocab:
-Haw (236): An utterance used by a speaker who is fumbling for words.
-Divinity (240): Deity; godhood.

Appeals:
"I can still hear her weeping now sometimes. I know the exact sound of it, like a note you hear or a song that keeps spinning around in your head and you can't forget it." (214) This passage definently represents an emotional appeal because the reader can completely relate to Ruth's situation. Everyone has gotten a song stuck in their head at one point or another so it is easy to imagine this feeling.

"That man was the finest preacher I've ever heard to this day. He could make a frog stand up straight and get happy with Jesus. You never heard anything like him. He was not fire and brimstone. He brought God into your everyday life in a way that made you think heaven was right next door." (233) This description is a logical appeal because the reader can create an image in their head about how this man preached.

"If you didn't get out on that sidewalk by nine A.M. on Sunday morning for the eleven A.M. service, you had to stand in the aisles, and the place seated maybe, I don't know, at least two thousand people." (234) This passage represents a logical appeal because it gives the reader clear information about how popular this church was.

Quote:
"There is such a big difference between being dead and alive, I told myself, and the greatest gift that anyone can give anyone else is life. And the greatest sin a person can do to another is to take away that life. Next to that, all the rules and religions in the world are secondary; mere words and beliefs that people choose to believe and kill and hate by. My life won't be lived that way, and neither, I hope, will my children's." (229) This quote is significant because it demonstrates James finally understanding all the good his mother did by raising him to look beyond a person's color. He has now become more tolerant and seems to be giving his mother the credit he deserves.

Theme:
The theme that came to mind in this portion of the reading is self-discovery. Self-discovery cannot simply be obtained by examining just yourself, you must also examine the other aspects of your life around you. James went to the town where his mother grew up and learned about this side of the family he was never told about. He learned a lot about himself through learning about his backround.

Review of "The 400 Blows"

The film, “The 400 Blows” written and directed by François Truffaut, had fleeting moments of entertainment, but that was not enough to make this film worth watching at least for the average viewer. If the writer had a message or a theme it was virtually undetectable. Perhaps the writer’s intention was to show, through an adolescent’s eyes, that life is unfair and most of us just try to catch or dodge the curveballs. This take on life seems like a common tale told over and over again. Mr. Truffaut’s message, that adolescent angst is a problem, would have been appreciated if Truffaut hadn’t focused on all the predictable behaviors of an adolescent. It is easy to guess what will happen next in the life of this young boy. The end of the film leaves the audience literally hanging because it is anyone’s guess what will happen to the young boy. While this may sound like a great ploy to get the audience’s attention, it falls flat. Too many questions exist at the end of the film leaving the audience confused and dissatisfied. While the film has some cinematic value it fails to spark any sort of deep discussion among the audience. Without discussion the film gets classified with many other films in the category of unmemorable.
“The 400 Blows” possesses many literary aspects. The plot is a memoir in that it tells the story of a boy, Antoine Doinel, through his own eyes, during a brief period in his life. Antoine is twelve years old for the duration of the film and acts like a typical rebellious adolescent who finally got caught. He plays hooky, steals, and runs away from home on several occasions. Characterization is achieved by looking at the primary adults, such as parents and teachers, from the point of view of a twelve year old boy. Everything revealed about that character is skewed by whatever this young boy perceives. Most of these characters appear insensitive and ineffectual. This is actually one of the more interesting parts of the movie because it allows the audience to imagine other ways in which these characters can be understood. In terms of the setting, if you didn’t know Paris was the film’s location it would be easy to think the setting was anywhere in any French city. There are no distinguishing landmarks that let the audience know for sure where the film took place. In some ways, that is actually a good technique because it allows many in the audience to feel a familiarity with the setting. The theme, adolescent angst, as mentioned before is predictable and redundant. Adolescent angst can be loosely interpreted as a symbol representing internal struggles and frustrations with the people who should be trusted relied upon.
This film was well cast and the actors did an exceptional job portraying their characters in their acting. Jean-Pierre Léaud, who played Antoine Doinel, portrayed the perfect image of an adolescent boy trying to live his life on his terms. He is a rebellious child and the viewer could see through the acting that he lacked a conscience and was motivated by self gain. The viewer is able to clearly see how the negative experiences affected Antoine through convincing acting. The role of Gilberte Doinel, played by Claire Maurier, was equally as convincing. Her selfishness is apparent to the viewer from the first moment she steps onto the screen. She is a narcissistic woman who neglects her family. There is a point in the show where she appears to undergo a transformation, which is evident by her dramatic change in the treatment of her son. It is obvious to the viewer that Gilberte behaved in a false nurturing manner because she fears blackmail. Any affection she shows her son is a calculated attempt to buy his silence for her indiscretions. She never comes out with a direct explanation as to why she was treating him better, but the viewer needs no explanation because her aura gives off this impression. Antoine’s best friend, René, played by Patrick Auffay, is another role that was well cast. René is the perfect mentor for Antoine. Antoine learns all of his mischievous acts from him. René is similar to the character Dodger from Oliver!. He appears to be the wiser and more experienced of the two friends and rarely ever gets caught. The viewer could easily pick this up just from watching the way he moves. René is composed and calculated. Another strong direction the film takes is with the costumes. The costumes in this film are great representations of the time and the conditions. The viewer can also tell what kind of personality a person has by simply looking at their wardrobe. Gilberte Doinel’s wardrobe gave away, immediately, that the majority of the little money the family was bringing in was spent on her clothes and pampering herself. The rest of her family wore clothes that looked old and scuffed. Some even had holes in them. The costumes helped to gain insight to how the characters perceived themselves and how that may contrast with how others saw them.
“The 400 Blows” displayed ingenious cinematic aspects. The lighting is a dead giveaway about the feelings the protagonist has about a place. Dimly lit places were often places Antoine felt uncomfortable and scared. His home and his school were examples of this lighting. Cameras often angled down on Antoine’s home, giving the impression of feeling cramped and insignificant. This feeling of cramped helped the audience understand the pressure experienced by Antoine. Black and white photography also helped provide a sense of time, perhaps in the 1930s and 1940s. The music complimented the dismal and often hopeless mood. Sometimes the music prepared the audience for a mood change displayed by the characters. In general, the music, photography, and lighting complimented each scene.
“The 400 Blows” and Black Boy by Richard Wright, both had as its main character, young men, struggling with their lives. There were more similarities than differences between Richard and Antoine. The main difference between the boys was the social circumstances that defined how they were perceived by others. Richard was born into a community where his color was recognized before his behavioral traits. Antoine did not have to contend with that very real perception. Richard and Antoine often met their challenges with rebellion. Throughout the movie and the book it was unclear whether either boy would survive their circumstances. Additionally, both young men genuinely felt comfortable in their own skin. It was the outside world that betrayed them.
People who would find “The 400 Blows” interesting would tend to be people who appreciate cinematic and dramatic devices incorporated in filmmaking. It is hard to ignore the clever and deliberate filmmaking techniques such as camera movement, acting, and sound used within this film. Anybody, however, with a short attention span and a need for closure would find this film unsatisfying and frustrating. Technique, not plot, is what gives “The 400 Blows” credibility and merit. I would suggest this particular film to someone who appreciates the finer aspects of filmmaking. Without that appreciation it would be easy to dismiss “The 400 Blows” as dull and unfinished.

The Color of Water-Week 3, Post B

Dear James,
Congratulations on getting into Oberlin college! That's quite the accomplishment and I hope your pursuit for a career in music is successful. I know that throughout this exciting time in your life you are also noticing the dismal state of your mother. You can tell she's unhappy. She has made great sacrifices for you and your siblings to make sure all of you have bright futures ahead of you. Think about it. Every one of your siblings before you and including yourself have now gotten into college and many are studying for further degrees. Considering your family's financial state at home, this is quite the accomplisment for your mother. She's a single mother, with twelve kids. It's incredible that she was able to raise you all the way she did, and even through those terrible grieving periods. Now that you're older, you have been able to recognize what your mother has gone through and all of the sacrifices that she made for you. She moved to a city that she is clearly miserable in. In this city, your successful future began to take off. This city, dull as it was, offered you the opporunities to turn your life around. You're no longer the alcoholic, drug-addict you once were. This is due to your mother and her willingness to give up her own happiness for your success. You must be feeling guilty knowing this fact. You should do something for your mother. Get your siblings together, put in some money and try to change her life, because she has for sure changed yours. She always put your lives before her own, and I think it is time to let her experience a little luxury.

Sincerely,
Emily

The Color of Water-Week 3, Post A

Vocab:
-Spry (185): Active; nimble; agile; energetic; brisk.
-Bandy-Legged (187): having crooked legs; bowlegged.

Appeals:
"She [James's mother] was the unhappiest I had ever seen her. It was like her legs were cut out from under her. The day before Thanksgiving in 1974, her old Toyota broke down and she had no money to fix it, which meant we had to take a bus to some godforsaken distant supermarket to find a turkey we could afford. We found the bird, but when we got on the bus to go home the paper bag holding the frozen turkey burst; it fell out of the bag and rolled all the way down the aisle to the front of the bus, where the driver grabbed it. The passengers and driver laughed, but to Ma this episode epitomized her entire experience in Delaware, that darned turkey rolling down the darned aisle in front of all those darned people. She had few friends there. The black folks found her to be awkward. The white folks bored her." (188) This passage displays an emotional feel because the details force the reader to feel these emotions, as if it were us in this difficult situation. McBride describes his mother's experience in Delaware in such a way that the reader cannot help but feel sorry for her and wish she could be cut a break and find a way out of this place or a way to finding happiness.

"On a cloudy, rainy day in September 1975, I packed everything I owned into an old green duffel bag and Ma drove me to the Greyhound bus station." (189) This passage is clearly a logical appeal because the reader can further understand James's family's financial situation. The fact that James fit everything he owned into a duffel bag shows that James didn't need much to live a successful life and that he wasn't given much either.

"She was wearing a brown raincoat and a scarf over her head, a lone white woman marching back forth on a dim street in front of the dilapidated bus station in Wilmington, Delaware, beneath a rumbling Amtrak train trestle and a cloudy sky." (190) I think this passage represents a logical appeal because McBride is describing a scene in such a way that the reader can truly picture it in there mind.

Quote:
"She [James's father's aunt] came up from North Carolina and cared for y'all after Dennis died, because I was grieving and lost and I couldn't move. I couldn't move." (195) After I read this quote I found myself intrigued by the repeat of the phrase "I couldn't move". I had read earlier in the memoir about Ruth's grieving for her first husband but I was never understood it quite as well as I did after reading this one passage. I thought I had understood it, but this passage proved me wrong. It's brilliant how one passage can make you see a situation in an entirely different light.

Theme
The theme I have noticed to be occuring throughout this section is the theme of how grieving can transform your life. Ruth goes through a grieving period that proves to be very negative for her. She loses control of her children and her emotions. James also experience a transformation from his grieving that turns him into a juvenile delinquent who has lost all self-control to drugs and alcohol.

The Color of Water-Week 2, Post B

Significant Quote:
"Just Like Mommy did years before me, I began my own process of running, emotionally disconnecting myself from her, as if by doing so I could keep her suffering from touching me." (138) I found this quote significant because it represents an adult reflection by the author. He experienced this process of "running" when he was in the tenth grade. It's also an accurate connection between himself and his mother. James's mother considers herself "dead" from her family. She doesn't know where any of them are now or even if they are alive. James is gradually disconnecting himself from his mother just as she did with her family. At this point in the memoir, James's father has just died and his mother is undergoing a deep stuggle to recover. James seems to have great difficulty seeing his mother in this state and probably finds it necessary to emotionally disconnect himself from his emotionally unstable mother.