Recitatif By Toni Morrison: Literary Analysis

On the next meeting, farther into their lives, Roberta actually calls out to Twyla in a grocery checkout line. When they begin to talk, Roberta asks if her Twyla’s mother is sick as well, meaning that what she said last time they met isn’t correct, that she was still sick. They begin to reminisce, remembering how Roberta’s mother had the cross like two telephone poles, a much less elegant description of how Twyla originally stated earlier, realizing it wasn’t necessarily salvation for her. As the conversation continues, she asks again about her mother, asking if she got well, which she never did, a nice way of saying she passed away. Later on, during the picketing and everything, Twyla notices Roberta picketing with a sign larger than her mother’s cross. Insinuating that she’s becoming her mother, if not more, and falling into a sickness herself that could destroy their friendship. They begin arguing over whether or not when the bow legged servant Maggie fell whether or not they kicked her. This spurs off into a war of words. To insult her Twyla makes a sign saying “How would

'Recitatif', by Toni Morrison, is a profound narrative that I believe is meant to invite readers to search for a buried connotation of the experiences that the main characters, Twyla and Roberta, face as children and as they are reunited as adults. Some of the story?s values and meanings involving race, friendship and abandonment begin to emerge as the plot thickens; however, more messages become hidden and remain unrecognized, even until the very last sentence.

Many authors write fictional novels about historical events. A common topic written about is the racial integration between African Americans and whites during the 1950’s. Although the short story “Recitatif” explicate many different themes, the central topic of Morrison’s writing is about racism. Throughout the story, the author expresses examples of hatred between black and white races at the shelter, the different encounters they have, and the remarks to Maggie’s race in conversations between Twyla and Roberta.

It has always been assumed that races have a certain look; a person can always tell what a person is by their mannerisms, their speech and the overall way they carried themselves even if they looked a certain way. However, this is mainly due to stereotypes that have long plagued our society and what one “expects” someone to look like just based on the negative connotations that are associated with skin complexion. When we read certain literature, the description of the character is the first thing that we look for as it is a way for us to somewhat bond with the character and attempt to see the story through their eyes. Toni Morrison’s Recitatif explores how the author describes each character not expressing their race leaving a bit of mysery to the reader and attempts to breaks down the stereotypes that exist for each race. Through a literary analysis, the reader is able to see those stereotypical assumptions about the color of one’s skin and how they should cease to exist in any world whether it is literal or figurative.

Toni Morrison’s only short story was Recitatif, she never reveals which character is white or black. The story explores the relationship between Twyla and Roberta, and their experiences based on their racial differences. By decoding each characters racial identity, we can then understand how race defines a person’s status in society. In analyzing the social cues such as culture, politics and economic signs, to identify the racial identity of Twyla and Roberta. I believe that Twyla is the white character and Roberta the black character.

Years after the restaurant incident, Twyla meets Roberta at the Food Emporium. Although Roberta had treated Twyla so harshly years earlier, she is overjoyed to see her. When Roberta meets Twyla, she states, “I got married to a man who lives here. And you, you’re married too right” (1409)? While Roberta has married a very rich man, Twyla has married a fireman named James (1408-10). Because of their marriages, Twyla and Roberta find peace and joy in their lives. Twyla begins to love her lifestyle because of her husband and his family. Roberta begins to live an even more lavish lifestyle than before because of her husband and seems to enjoy every moment of it. Because of mothers’ lack of emotional support, Twyla became very hard on herself and Roberta became self-righteous. Eventually, Twyla and Roberta find their source of validation through their marriages in different ways.

While racial stereotypes contribute to the majority of the short story “Recitatif” by Toni Morrison, Morrison uses these stereotypes to convey a much larger issue. Morrison uses the stereotypes of intelligence, social class, and the character’s behavior and attitude to break the racial code. The two characters, Twyla and Roberta, realize that it is not about race but about their experiences of relating Maggie to their mothers that makes them similar. Many readers try to figure out which character is which race and as they go through, trying to figure out these clues. All they do is realize their own stereotypes.

In 1983, Toni Morrison published the only short story she would ever create. The controversial story conveys an important idea of what race is and if it really matter in the scheme of life. This story takes place during the time period of the Civil Rights Movement. The idea of civil rights was encouraged by the government but not enforced by the states, leaving many black Americans suffering every day. In Morrison’s short story Recitatif, Morrison manipulates the story’s diction to describe the two women’s races interchangeably resulting in the confusion of the reader. Because Morrison never establishes the “black character” or the “white character”, the reader is left guessing the race of the two main characters throughout the whole

Throughout the story, Morrison includes clues about Roberta and Twyla’s race that serve the purpose of confusing the reader and also, revealing the reader’s own assumptions and prejudices about race. The issue of race and racism is central to the story. Twyla’s first response to rooming with Roberta at St. Bonny’s is to feel sick to her stomach. Twyla described this feeling by saying “It was one thing to be taken out of your own bed early in the morning — it was something else to be stuck in a strange place with a girl

The meaning of Recitiatif is the nature of or resembling recitation or declamation (Meaning of Recitatif). In the story “Recitatif,” the author, Toni Morrison, writes a story and never reveals the character’s nationality. Toni purposely does this and leaves certain context clues to help the reader figure it out themselves. Although the context clues are very sudden and are still hard to distinguish the difference between. Many people may fight and say that Twyla is white and Roberta is black, but there is more evidence that support the opposite way around with statements that include class, respect, wealth and, word choices. In the end however, one should see that it does not change the story plot line or how the characters are portrayed.

Toni Morrison’s short story, “Recitatif” is about two young girls, named Twyla and Roberta, who grow up in an Orphanage because their mothers were in no condition to properly take care of them. The main theme in the “Recitatif” is concentrating on racism. A very mind- grabbing event in the story is how the author never tells the race of the two girls. Morrison leaves class codes but not racial codes, as in the story Twyla states, “ It was one thing to be taken out of your own bed early in the mornings—it was something else to be stuck in a strange place with a girl from a whole other race” (pg 201) , even the girls do not mention which race the other is. Recitatif is a great story as it plays with the reader’s emotions and effectively makes the reader aware of the stereotypes and each races characteristics.

In “Recitatif” by Toni Morrison, two young girls Roberta and Twyla meet one another at a state home for orphan and foster children. It is apparent from the start that either of the girls is white or black. Even at their young age, they both have preconceived expectations of the other because of their difference in race. However, as each character ages and is developed further, many of their traits could be that of someone white or black, albeit they contrast in personality. As a result of these traits, readers will likely unconsciously try to racially classify Roberta and Twyla only to change their mind a minute later. “Recitatif” forces readers to abandon the preconceived stereotypes and realize that they are constantly

“Recitatif” is a short story by Toni Morrison, an african american author. On the outside, this story seems to feature 5 meetings between two girls, each aging slightly each time we see them. One white. One black. Referred to as “Salt and pepper”. However, on the inside, Toni Morrison reveals her intention to educate the readers about racial stereotypes and their everyday impacts. She does this through her unique writing style of making influential choices, and using symbols to harmonize them with her theme.

Recitatif is a story written by Toni Morrison. It is about characters Twyla and Roberta and their experiences during and after being put in a shelter. Race can change what a person’s motives are viewed as. Racial stereotyping and racial segregation play a big part in this story. Twyla and Roberta are of a different race/ethnicity which causes strife between the two and they have different opinion on things.

From the very beginning, racial tensions were seen, even from girls of such a young age. While being in the shelter, Twyla did not want to share a room with Roberta because previously her mother had told her that “those people smell funny.” Come to find out, this was an untrue statement and the two girls ended up sticking together; it is the girl’s bond that keeps them sane in this orphanage. They are the only one’s at St. Bonny’s that still actually have parents and this too is a reason they stay so intertwined. The narrator of the story talks of all the things that lessens herself as a person and she is most likely ashamed of. In the early pages of the story, Twyla remembers a time when Maggie ran through the field to catch the bus, which she was inevitably late for. The older girls in the orphanage always gawked at and made fun of this poor woman and the way she walked, which made her fall. Twyla felt tinges of guilt remembering how she never helped Maggie