How can you really know somebody unless you take the time to see what they have done right and wrong? In the nonfiction by James McBride, The Color of Water, Ruth McBride was the perfect example of a mother who did everything she could though couldn't do it all correctly. On one side her good parenting came out. She convinced all her kids to go to school and showed them to stick up for what is right. Though she failed to have a true connection with her kids because she beat them and didn't tell them about herself.

If you look back at what Ruth did, one thing sticks out the most. Schooling topped her list of what she expected the kids to attend. Ruth was so hardcore about it, she would end up staying up all night and falling asleep in someone's homework. Not that the kids...