“Recitatif” is a story about Twyla and Roberta; two characters of different race that accidently meet every couple of years. From the onset of the story‚ Morrison introduces the story with a racist thought from Twyla‚ stablishing the story’s main topic is race. The story in general is to get the reader to contemplate on the significance of the story. She does this by never unveiling the race of either character. Instead she uses various social codes to help the reader identify the race of each
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“Recitatif” 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
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situations that Roberta seemed to have had a better home life than Twyla who felt that Thanksgiving was hot mashed potatoes and two weenies. (Morrison 132) Throughout the years‚ the reader can see just how much of a difference there is between Roberta and Twyla. First‚ when their moms came to visit‚ Roberta’s mom brought “chicken legs and ham sandwiches and oranges and a whole box of chocolate-covered grahams” (Morrison 135-136) while Twyla and her mom “picked fur and cellophane grass off the mashed jelly
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Recitatif by Toni Morrison is a story about two girls‚ Twyla and Roberta‚ who initially meet in home for children called St. Bonaventure‚ St. Bonny for short. At their initial meeting there are feelings of mistrust from both sides‚ but eventually come to bond with each other. We find out early that one is black and one is white but which is which is never revealed. Twyla was sent to St. Bonny because her mother “dances all night” and Roberta because her mother is sick. Since they were placed there
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story‚ “Recitatif” explores a subject vital to the story which is racism. The two main characters are Twyla and Roberta‚ one is Afro-American and the other Caucasian‚ and at no point in the story does Morrison reveal which one is which‚ “It didn’t matter that we looked like salt and pepper standing there and that’s what the other kids called us sometimes.” (Morrison 201) I got the impression that Twyla was a Caucasian girl whose mother danced all the time‚ and Roberta was the Afro-American girl whose
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viewing the story through by never revealing the race of any individual character. In the beginning of the story‚ when Big Bozo first introduced Twyla and Roberta‚ Twyla says‚ “My mother won’t like you putting me in here‚” and‚ “we looked like salt and pepper standing there.” (204) Readers may often see this imagery provoking piece of dialogue as meaning Twyla is white. Readers often jump to this conclusion as it is a stereotype that‚ in earlier times when
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possess. So‚ is Roberta black and Twyla white? The primary question
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the natural rhythm of speech between Roberta and Twyla’s relationship. Roberta is black and Twyla is white. They both have an unspoken understanding of each other because they are in an orphanage yet neither one of them are orphans. Due to them being in this orphanage their racial identities do not exist. They are no longer black/white but children in an orphanage whose mothers cannot take care of them. Twyla and Roberta both come from complete different backgrounds. Even at their young age yet they
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experienced prejudices similar to Twyla. Toni Morrison’s family moved to Ohio to get away from the dangers and economic struggles of the south (Kubitschek 5). As Toni Morrison grew up‚ she wondered what it meant to be black. She has said that when someone was born black they had to “decide to be black” (3). What Morrison said goes beyond skin color and refers to what the world views (3). This gives insight on why Morrison decided to write this short story. Both women Twyla and Roberta have preconceived
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class differentiation. The characters in Morrison’s story‚ Twyla and Roberta‚ are of different races but are more evidently separated by class based on their wealth. Wealth is one of the most important defining elements of personal identity and class differentiation. The wealth of a person will determine what products and services they will consume‚ what subcultures they will associate with‚ and their everyday code of conduct. Twyla and Roberta met after being dumped in a shelter as little girls
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