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A Yellow Raft in Blue Water is a novel written by Michael Dorris and published in 1987. It is written from the viewpoints of three people, Rayona, Christine, and Ida, exchanging viewpoints between different sections of the book.
From the start, the reader is given evidence that the protagonists of this novel are not involved in what we would consider a typical, contented American family. Christine and Rayona foster a relationship which contains definitive signs of dependency and bonding between the two of them, though this is largely offset by Christine's neglectful and erratic tendencies toward Rayona. Christine is a chronic alcoholic and frequently abuses an amalgam of other drugs, including Percocet (a highly addictive painkiller).
In an article from the Alan Review, Frances Nadeau notes, "In other novels, the mother is absent emotionally, often as a result of alcohol or drug dependency. In Taking the Ferry Home, wealthy and sophisticated Simone suffers from her mother's addiction to both alcohol and drugs. The mothers' emotional dependence often requires that the daughters assume the role of "mother" in that they make decisions and assume responsibility."
Often Christine spends her nights immersed in the bar scene of Seattle, searching for prospective husbands who could fulfill the rift created by her vagrant husband, Elgin. The reader is also given the idea that Christine periodically denies the fact that she has a daughter at home, wondering where her mother runs off to at all hours of the evening.
In chapter one of A Yellow Raft In Blue Water, Michael Dorris gives the reader insight on Christine's devotion to her daughter, and simultaneously on her illogical reasoning behind what she believes will be best for her daughter, in this passage:
"What I'm talking about is this: we're broke. We owe two months back rent on that lousy apartment. My unemployment is expired and I'm tired of finding two-bit jobs. I'm past forty years old and my husband wants to ditch me and marry some Arletta. I figure I've wore out my welcome in this world and the only thing I've got that's worth anything is the insurance on this fucking car. So it's going to have a little accident and you're going to win the lottery. Kiss me good-bye."
Rayona is quick to prevent her mother from performing this atrocity; this leads to a sudden change of heart on Christine's part. After Rayona is separated from her mother — abandoned in unfamiliar territory and unsuccessful at first in befriending allies — she steadily becomes more reliant on her own determination and persistence in order to maintain the healthiest possible existence under the conditions she has been subjected to.
Despite the prolonged period of inconsideration from both of her parents, Rayona remains optimistic — though somewhat wistful — about her family's future. In the events leading up to and during her stay at Bearpaw Lake, Rayona always remembers to pack along with her belongings the videos which Christine "rented" from the store in Seattle. These videos serve as a tangible connection and symbolic substitution of her mother, which lends her support in a very subtle manner. This shows us that Rayona is still very much inspired by her hope for reconciliation with her mother.
The origins of the conflict between Rayona and Christine, which manifests itself with the introduction of Aunt Ida, can largely be traced back to Christine's childhood, and the manner in which she was raised. Aunt Ida habitually distanced herself from Christine, and even more so as Lee grew into an increasingly promising young Indian. Christine turned to religion to cope with the lack of support she received at home, though she renounced her faith when a significant aspect of her ecclesiastical beliefs turned out to be false prophecy. As if this weren't enough, she became ever more distanced from Lee, as he became a close comrade to Dayton.
Christine went through several identity crises, the most significant of which influenced her migration to Seattle, and her lubricious but futile devotion to Elgin. When Elgin learned of Rayona's impending arrival, he perfunctorily made the decision to marry Christine, though it was painfully obvious he did not harbor the personality required to devote his lifestyle to a family. Christine was aware of this when the first clues began to appear, such as his frequent "late nights" at work and his concealment of wages from her. Over time the situation only got worse, and Christine forced herself into obstinate denial of the true state of her present family. Thus, the combination of a volatile and negligent adolescence, and the outright disdain shown by her husband, gave her no proper experience on which to model the raising of her own daughter.
Nonetheless, Christine does find solace in Rayona's presence, and not only realizes, but understands, that the identity which she has assumed through the experience of mothering Rayona is in fact the one which she has been searching for all along. In spite of this enlightenment, Christine remains engrossed in her drinking habits, and learns that this has resulted in severe damage to her liver. Thus, she has only six months to live.
Works cited
- Duffy, James Patrick. SparkNote on A Yellow Raft in Blue Water. 10 Apr. 2005 <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/yellowraft/>.
- Nadeau, Francis A. The Mother/Daughter Relationship in Young Adult Fiction. The Alan Review. 10 Apr. 2005 <http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/winter95/Nadeau.html>