The Color Of Water Analysis

Race,Culture and identity shapes a personś life through pressure from society because James from ‘The Color of Water’ feels pressure throughout the whole beginning chapters where he's growing up from society through stereotypes, Religion and education
James felt pressure through stereotypes like all black people can dance . In The novel the Color of Water’, James wore his good all his good clothes and shoes to show the class on talent day hs method of dancing. In the novel, It states ¨THey believed I could dance! I had them fooled, they screamed for more and I obligated squiggling my feet and slip-sliding across the wooden floor, jumping into the air and landing in a near split by the blackboard, shouting ¨Eeee-yow!David wild, but even

as I sat down with their Applause ringing in my ears comma with laughter on my face comma happy to feel accepted, to be part of them, knowing I had pleased them , I saw the diversion on their face,the clever smiles, laughing at the oddity of it, and i felt the same ache I felt when I gazed at the boy in the mirror.” (Mcbride 105) In other words, because of the stereotypes that black can dance, it placed pressure on James that he didn't know how to dance, it placed Increase pressure on Jame because he didn't know how to dance. at first, during his dance session in front of the class made him feel as if you was being acknowledged any positive light but at the same time he hated how or unrealistic he had to demise himself in order to be accepted by others.
Moreover, though his heritage/religion James still felt pressure because he couldn't identify himself at the time of growing up in a black neighborhood. with his siblings emphasizing black power, James grew up finding it difficult to identify himself as either black or white. In the novel ‘The Color of Water’, It states “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 installed 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) In other words, James felt that he doesn't truly belong from the Black or White community but he felt that it was a privilege to come from both because both sides have to offer.
Lastly, James stop pressure throughout his time in school. In the novel, it states “ I don't belong to any of those groups. I belong to the world of one God, one people. But as a kid, I preferred the black side, and often wished that mommy had sent me to black school with my friends. Instead I was stuck at that white school, P.S. 138, with white classmates who were convinced I could dance like James Brown.”(McBride 104) In other words, James felt as a outsider whenever he was at school because his white classmates usually stared at him during lunch while he was eating(because he doesn't have an good food at home); the teachers ignored him (because he’s black) but despite all these discrimination he still remained respectful toward his teachers. Nevertheless he knows that white schools offer better educational systems but he still wanted to go to a black school with his friends.