A Yellow Raft in Blue Water is a novel written by Michael Dorris and published in 1987. It is written from the point of view of three people, Rayona, Christine, and Ida, in the different sections of the book.
From the start, the reader is given the evidence that the protagonists of this novel are not involved in what we would consider a typical and content 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 Percoset (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 times she will spend her nights immersed in the bar scene of Seattle, searching for prospective future 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. This seems very hypocritical to me, due to the fact that Christine incessantly complains of Elgin’s neglectful tendencies towards his family. Fortunately enough for Rayona, she is naturally self-reliant and independent; although in being an innocent child, she is very susceptible to outside influence.
In chapter one of A Yellow Raft In Blue Water, Michael Dorris gives the reader seriatim insights on Christine’s devotion to her daughter, and simultaneously on her illogical reasoning behind what she believes will be best for her daughter, in the 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. (12)” Rayona is quick to inhibit her mother from accomplishing this atrocity, though this leads to a sudden change of heart on Christine’s part, and we are taken into an ever deepening conflict between these two women.
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 instilled by her faith in 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. I have found an interesting insight on the reason for Ida’s neglect of her “loved ones”, from James Duffy: “Likewise, though Ida comes off as rather cold and resentful to others—she herself admits this is an apt description—her personal life at least makes her temperament seem forgivable or understandable. If Christine and Rayona knew Ida’s history, they would understand that her coldness is her reaction to the treatment she has received throughout her life.” 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 growth 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 bibulous habits, and learns that this has resulted in severe damage to her liver. Thus, she has only six months to live.
-MwM
Works Cited
Dorris, Michael. A Yellow Raft In Blue Water New York: Warner, 1987
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>
The Window also contains a story about an 11-year-old Rayona.
