Identity

Olivia Nyhammer

Professor Young

September 18, 14

English 110

Essay #1

Identity Speaks

Your identity is like your own personal logo, every line and detail is unique and specifically crafted just to express your distinct characteristics that everyone can see, but is impossible to impersonate. Like a snowflake, no two identities can be the same because they run as deep into your soul as lovers look into one another’s eyes. I believe that one’s identity is a very important component of who they are as a person because it reflects their perseverance through trials and tribulations they've experienced which is what really makes a person who they are. What keeps you up at night and makes you smile for so long your cheeks hurt is probably a large part of your life and what has made you who you are today although, I prefer to identify with my clothing. I feel first impressions are critical and you should always look the part. In James McBride’s, The Color of Water, a search for identity is seen as a reoccurring theme throughout the memoir. We observe James, a young mixed boy with 11 mixed brothers and sisters, struggle to find his place in a segregated city where the Black Panthers ruled the streets and he was genuinely afraid for his fearless Caucasian mother’s life. 

Most people take an abundant amount of pride in their nationalities and choose to identify themselves with them through language, food, and traditional clothing. Your identity is both where you came from, and where you want to go. McBride’s whole memoir is dedicated to softening his mother’s shell to find out the true story of how she aspired to have such an optimistic mindset. James sees the way his mother blinds herself to the dangers of being the only white women in a predominately black society, but choses to turn her head and let god protect and lead her way causing him to wonder how she does it and why she feels that way. For example James reminisces, “even as a child I had a clear sense that black and white folks did not get along.” (McBride 25) People identified so strongly with their skin color that children could see it. As much as today’s society would like to deny it, all through history humans have commonly identified with people of the same nationality. 

Although I do not identify myself by wearing traditional clothing, I do like vintage. Growing up I always felt like everything about a person’s outfit can tell you a little bit about who they are, and where they come from. Having pride in the way you dress is having love for the freedom of expression. It has been stated that feeling good about the way you dress, can actually boost the chemicals in your brain that make you happy and confident by 55%. When you look good, you feel good. Tom Ford once said, “Dressing well is a good form of manners.” This is one of my favorite quotes because I strongly feel you should always be dressed appropriately for the occasion. The fashion industry makes billions of dollars every second by people choosing to identify in the way they dress.  

Religion is another important aspect of one’s life that most people choose to identify with. There are so many different types of religions and despite the fact that ultimately we should respect each other’s love for a higher being we are sometimes discriminated because of it. For instance, look at Adolf Hitler, he got everyone to turn on one religion. In Germany during that time period ones religion was what they were identified with. Some religions are very strict and require physical appearance alterations, which labels them making a clear characteristic to be identified with. As James grows up throughout the novel he begins to see how his mother’s faith in god allowed her to see equality among all and concludes, “As a grown man, I understand now, understand how her Christian principles and trust in God kept her going through all her life’s battles, but as a boy, my faith was not that strong” (McBride 33) Not only did Ruth, James’s mother, identify with her religion, but it solemnly got her through one of the roughest times in US history. When James questions Gods race because he is unsure if he favors whites or blacks, Ruth responds with explaining how god is the color of water and water as no color. She wanted to make sure that her children did not play into the ignorance of society; she wanted to ensure their freedom from segregation.

People do not like to be labeled as uncommon or embarrassing characteristics like poor, vein and rude even though sometimes it does apply to them. They do not want to be identified with such a belittling quality. In McBride’s memoir we see James explain how his mother is shamed by her tight budget, “She was against welfare and never applied for it despite our need, but championed those who availed themselves of it.” (McBride 30) Even though the welfare probably would have helped her family in a huge way, she did not want to be identified as someone who could not take care of themselves and their families so she refuses to accept the service. It is amazing how our ego and pride can get in the way of what we need. Ruth was such a strong, independent woman she could not be labeled as someone who needed further assistance to help their families. 

Identity is a very important part of everyone and can be seen as a reoccurring theme throughout James McBride’s memoir, The Color of Water. In the memoir the main character and writer, James, struggles to find his own identity as he doesn't even know for sure what skin color he is therefor where he belongs. A person’s identity is made of both a person’s past and future, and can be symbolized by internal and external qualities exhibited to the public. Two examples of characteristics that one can commonly be identified through are nationality/skin color and religion. They are both qualities most keep close to their heart and the things that are very close to you seem to be the things we are most frequently identified with. There are also qualities people don't like to be identified with like vein and inefficient. I feel that first impressions are everything so one of the qualities I choose to identify with is a person’s sense of fashion. No matter what ones identity is, it is their label, a reflection of them and their beliefs and everyone should take pride in that.