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April 17, 2006

assimilation

McBride, The Color of Water (1996) -- Jerz: American Lit II (EL 267)

"If you throw water on the floor it will always find a hole, believe me."

McBride's mother shows much wisdom in regards to her sisters, who were trying to leave pieces of themselves behind to become "American". This is a struggle faced by so many people in our country, what of their origins to retain and what to disregard. But as his mother notes, those pieces of oneself are sure to fight their way to the surface again. Just as she denied her Jewishness to her children, but it obviously seeped in in valuable ways.

Posted by JenniferDiFulvio at April 17, 2006 08:47 PM

Comments

Hmm, this might have a connection to Zionism and nationalism. Some Jews believe that the most important factor in determining one of their own is a Jewish bloodline--one of those things that you can't leave behind, because it's an inseperable part of you.

Posted by: ChrisU at April 17, 2006 11:17 PM

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