Ruth's name changes are significant with respect to her identity and life, because altering her name was then she starts to find herself, changing and discovering growth, despite of her countless façades.
In the beginning of the story, Ruth describes herself as “dead” subsequent to the abandonment she felt from her family after marrying a black man. When had moved to New York, starting a family with her husband, was then took place an altercation, where she was now known as Ruth McBride Jordan; taking on and battling numerous obstacles and limitations. During the introduction of the story, it started off as Ruth giving the impression of her past self as “dead”. She states, “I'm dead. You want to talk about my family and here I been dead to them for fifty years...they want no parts of me and me I don't want no part of them.” Elucidating the problem of which she faced, having her parents clearly rejecting the choices of Ruth's decision.
(P.1 Ruth McBride Jordan)
Throughout the story, the point of view alters between her son, James, and Ruth, herself. Having the point of views switch, will give an insight on the pain she felt, did, and struggled with. Since Ruth was forced into Judaism, she always resented it, and when she finally moved to New York she converted to Christianity. Ruth wanted her kids to take school seriously and teach them that race doesn't matter because we are all human beings, but during the sixties, it was often arduous for James, in which he
