The Color of Water: Chapter 15 Summary & Analysis

After her abortion Ruth stays in New York. She lives with Bubeh and attends Girls Commercial High school. She realizes after a year that the academics are moving too quickly and she won’t graduate on time, so she returns to Suffolk for her senior year. As soon as she gets home she breaks up with Peter, because although she loves him, she understands how dangerous their relationship is for both of them. However, not long after, she’s upset to hear customers at her father’s shop gossiping about Peter—he’s gotten a girl pregnant and he’s going to marry her. Ruth is devastated. Peter’s new lover is black, and Ruth understands that she could never marry Peter, not in Virginia, not in 1937.

After finding out about Peter’s upcoming marriage, Ruth decides that once she graduates high school she’s leaving Suffolk forever. Her only reservation is leaving behind Mameh, who still cannot speak English and relies on Ruth to navigate the world. Still, Ruth sees her parents’ unhappy marriage and knows that if she stays she will be pressured into an arranged marriage as well. She explains she’d “rather die” than have an arranged marriage, and that by leaving home and abandoning her mother and sister she was, in a way, killing off her past self.

As graduation approaches, Frances asks Ruth to walk with her. Ruth hasn’t shared any of the trouble in her life with Frances, but Frances is a loyal friend and Ruth wants to do this small thing for her. Ruth is nervous about the graduation because it ends with a ceremony in a Protestant Church. For this same reason Tateh at first refuses to give her the money for her cap and gown, but Mameh convinces him, and he pays on the condition that Ruth not go into the church. Tateh doesn’t care about Ruth’s graduation, but he is worried that she has no marriage prospects, and takes her on business outings so she can meet eligible Jewish men.

On graduation day Ruth is nervous. Frances understands, and tells Ruth that if she can’t go into the church, Frances can graduate by herself. Ruth doesn’t want this to happen and so walks with Frances through the town to the church doors. As she approaches, Ruth steps out of line. She just cannot make herself go inside the church. Both Ruth and Frances cry as it becomes clear Ruth will not graduate with her friend, but Frances continues into the church. Ruth walks home alone, and the next day leaves for New York.