Introduction
This essay focuses on the analysis of Tony Morrisson’s short story “Recitatif.” The issue of race is explored throughout the story, with Morrison introducing the setting and one character as a “strange place with a girl from a whole other race” (1). Through the interactions between Twyla and Roberta, the reader can trace the main elements of racial tensions that were prevalent at the time this story was written. This essay explores the theme of racism and racial prejudice using the perspectives and life experiences of Twyla and Roberta from “Recitatif.”
Analysis of “Recitatif”
Throughout the plot of the story, Morrison manipulates the issue of race, not clearly stating Roberta’s or Twyla’s race. However, the author makes a distinction between the two when they first meet, saying that Roberta is of a different race from Twyla (Morrisson, 2). As the plot develops, the two girls part ways, as one can see the evolution of their relationship. As kids, they rely on the racial perception that their parents have. One example is Twyla describing her mother’s narrative about people of varied races in the following manner – ” they never washed their hair, and they smelled funny” (Morisson, 1). That is why initially, Twyla is not friendly with Roberta, but eventually, the two understand that they are similar in many ways.
After four months in the orphanage, the two-part ways and do not have contact with each other for years. This allows the reader to see the evolution of how childhood friends change their view of each other, probably because of societal perception. When they meet again, Twyla becomes a waitress, and Roberta is returning from a concert with friends. The two have a swift encounter, and they do not talk much despite not seeing each other for a while.
Morisson describes the silence between the two and the laughs from Roberta and her friends directed at Twyla (4). This serves as an illustration of the way society shaped Roberta’s view of a person of a different race, despite them being very close as children.
Several more meetings occur over the years, one of which occurs after the two get married and move to Annandale and Newburg. They meet in the store, and this time Roberta is much more welcoming (Morisson, 4). Roberta explains her behavior as “oh, Twyla, you know how it was in those days: black-white. You know how everything was” (Morisson, 5). This is another aspect that suggests that racial attitudes are connected to the way society perceives race and that Roberta uses this as an excuse. Next, the two meet at a protest, where Roberta confronts Twyla and discusses the race issue. Finally, at the end of the “Recitatif”, the two see each other and discuss everything peacefully.
Character
Although this short story is about race, Morrison never clearly states who is African-American, Twyla, or Roberta. This leads to confusion since the reader is left guessing about the girl’s race and can view their conflict as the story evolves from different perspectives. However, these characters are of different races. Twyla and Roberta’s mothers are also essential characters in this story. They are the reason why the girls were put in the orphanage and why they bonded. Other kids there did not have any parents or family, as Morisson describes it, they had beautified parents in the sky (2). Therefore, Twyla and Roberta felt left out of this group. Moreover, later in the story, the reader can witness the tension between Twyla and Roberta’s mothers. According to Morisson:
“Mary, simple-minded as ever, grinned and tried to yank her hand out of the pocket with the raggedy lining-to shake hands, I guess. Roberta’s mother looked down at me and then looked down at Mary too” (3).
Maggie’s race is another crucial element of the plot since when Roberta and Twyla confront each other, one thinks that Maggie was black while the other one denies it. It is an interesting element of the story because Roberta argues that Twyla kicked Maggie, pointing out the race problem (4). However, later in the story, Roberta states that she lied about this event. Regardless, it is an interesting aspect that the two girls have distinctly different memories of Meggie’s race.
Other characters in the story play a minor role in understanding racial tensions. For instance, the Big Bozo who works at the orphanage and introduces the two overlooks Twyla’s complaints about having to stay in one room with Roberta. The boys that Roberta goes to a concert to shape her attitude towards Twyla when they meet at a restaurant. Next, when Roberta is married to a rich man, she at first treats Twyla well. But then, she joins protests that have racial implications, together with other mothers from her neighborhood.
Throughout the story, there are several settings in which Twyla and Roberta meet. The orphanage where they first met and became friends is the most important out of them. Further, in this short story, when Roberta talks to Twyla, she reveals that Meggie was kicked into that garden (Morisson, 6). Twyla, however, does not remember these events, showcasing the different perceptions that the two girls have. These dramatic encounters happen in the garden of the orphanage, which Twyla perceives as a peaceful and beautiful place until she remembers what happened to Maggie (6; Sustana). The garden, thus, is an important setting, since it is a symbol of their childhood and peacefulness, disrupted by the violence that happened to Meggie.
The symbols and figurative language that Morrison uses throughout this short story help create a more cohesive narrative (Mays, 131). For instance, she states that Twyla’s mother “was dancing,” which is why she could not care for her Twyla The author also describes the other children in the orphanage as gar girls, a name that Twyla and Roberta gave to them. This element relates to the reason why the two bonded despite being of different races, they both had issues in school, and one of them thought that “gar” meant “gargoyles.” The symbols that Morisson uses help understand the context of events better, childhood, and the growing up process of the two.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the story by Morisson depicts the development of a relationship between the two girls and the role of race in the relationship between these two women. As children, they perceive races based on their upbringing and what their parents tell them. Next, they become close and overlook race while at the orphanage. When the two meet over the years, their attitudes are shaped by society, with protests or other people dictating the way Twyla and Roberta communicate.
Works Cited
Mays, Kelley. The Norton Introduction to Literature. Norton & Company, 2020.
Morrison, Toni. Recitatif. Morrow, 1983.
Sustana, Katherine. “The Meaning of Maggie in Toni Morrison’s ‘Recitatif’,” ThughtCo. Web.