The Color of Water Setting & Symbolism

The Color of Water Objects/Places

Harlem

Ruth loved Harlem in her young adulthood. She liked to be around the music, clubs and movies. She got a job as a manicurist in Harlem, but the owner really wanted her to be a prostitute.

Suffolk, Virginia

Suffolk, Virginia, was the town where Ruth spent most of her childhood.

Wilmington, Delaware

After Hunter Jordan, Sr., died, Ruth moved her remaining five children to Wilmington, Delaware. It was a difficult and often second-guessed move, but it ended up being a good move for James.

Louisville, Kentucky

When James got into trouble in high school, his mother sent him to stay with his sister in Louisville, Kentucky, to straighten him out. He got into trouble in Louisville, too, but the overall effect was that he decided to change his life.

Whosoever Baptist Church

James's memories of church when he was a child mostly take place at Whosoever Baptist Church. At Whosoever, the big black ladies he knew and loved would...
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