"There's such a big difference between being dead and alive, I told myself, 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." — James McBride, The Color of Water (p229)
"Family love: It is firm footing, something to cling to in a frightened world that seems to spin out of control with war, turmoil, terrorism, and uncertainty. It is our highest calling and our greatest nobility." - James McBride, The Color of Water (295)
"The boy in the mirror, he didn't seem to have an ache. He was free. He was never hungry, he had his own bed probably, and his mother wasn't white. I hated him." -James McBride, The Color of Water (91)
"When they go one way, you go the other way. Understand? When they go one way, you go the other way. You hear me?" "Yes." "Don't tell nobody your business either!" (p13)
"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."
"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."
"I was so so sorry, deep in my heart I was sorry, but all your "sorrys" are gone when a person dies. She was gone. Gone. That's why you have to say all your "sorrys" and "I love yous" while a person is living, because tomorrow isn't promised" (217)
" what's a spirit?" "A spirit's a spirit." " What color is God's spirit?" "It doesn't have a color," she said. " God is the color of water. Water doesn't have a color" (page 51)
" 'what's a spirit?" 'A spirit's a spirit.' 'What color is God's spirit?' 'It doesn't have a color,' she said. ' God is the color of water. Water doesn't have a color'" (page 51)
"When I asked her where she was from, she would say, "God made me," and change the subject. When I asked her if she was white, she'd say, "No. I'm light skinned," and change the subject again." (Page. 21)
"Naw. If they put Jesus in this picture here, and he ain't white, and he ain't black, they should make him gray. Jesus should be gray" - James McBride (Pg.53)
"There's such a big difference between being dead and alive, I told myself, 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."
ReplyDelete— James McBride, The Color of Water (p229)
"Family love: It is firm footing, something to cling to in a frightened world that seems to spin out of control with war, turmoil, terrorism, and uncertainty. It is our highest calling and our greatest nobility."
ReplyDelete- James McBride, The Color of Water (295)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"The boy in the mirror, he didn't seem to have an ache. He was free. He was never hungry, he had his own bed probably, and his mother wasn't white. I hated him."
ReplyDelete-James McBride, The Color of Water (91)
"it dosnt have a color," she said. "God is the color of water. Water dosnt have a color"
ReplyDelete- James McBride, The Color of Water (51)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"When they go one way, you go the other way. Understand? When they go one way, you go the other way. You hear me?" "Yes." "Don't tell nobody your business either!"
ReplyDelete(p13)
"God is the color of water. Water doesn't have a color." -p.51
ReplyDelete"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."
ReplyDelete"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."
ReplyDelete"I was so so sorry, deep in my heart I was sorry, but all your "sorrys" are gone when a person dies. She was gone. Gone. That's why you have to say all your "sorrys" and "I love yous" while a person is living, because tomorrow isn't promised" (217)
ReplyDelete" what's a spirit?"
ReplyDelete"A spirit's a spirit."
" What color is God's spirit?"
"It doesn't have a color," she said. " God is the color of water. Water doesn't have a color" (page 51)
" 'what's a spirit?" 'A spirit's a spirit.' 'What color is God's spirit?'
ReplyDelete'It doesn't have a color,' she said. ' God is the color of water. Water doesn't have a color'" (page 51)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"When I asked her where she was from, she would say, "God made me," and change the subject. When I asked her if she was white, she'd say, "No. I'm light skinned," and change the subject again." (Page. 21)
ReplyDelete"Naw. If they put Jesus in this picture here, and he ain't white, and he ain't black, they should make him gray. Jesus should be gray"
ReplyDelete- James McBride (Pg.53)