Recitatif - Tony Morrison: racial division

Résumé du document

Never has there been a subject that has aroused as much discussion as racial division. Toni Morrison wrote "Recitatif" in 1983. Twyla and Roberta, two young girls grow up in a segregation atmosphere. Even though this situation will be implicit the entire story long, the author desires to make the reader understand the historical context through permanent tension between these two friends. Indeed, their social classes and cultures will separate them. Through this story, Toni Morrison will imply that discrimination can change a state of mind. This paper will demonstrate first of all Toni Morrison's technique of alluding to stereotypes of racism without ever clearly mentioning it. Before turning to their behaviours' modification through the story, this essay will deal with the fact that Twyla and Roberta have different surroundings throughout their friendship. Finally, we shall examine the reader's reaction concerning the social gap between these two characters.

Extraits

[...] Affinities between these two friends slowly disappear because of their different human values. A debate concerning Maggie's skin color, also affect their friendship. At St Bonny's, these girls never mention the origin to this “kitchen woman with legs like parentheses” Yet, during a black and white conflict, Roberta maintains that Maggie was “a poor old black lady” (14). During their last meeting, she finally admit that she "can't be sure" of the truth (16). III. The reader's reaction concerning the social gap between Twyla and Roberta In this last paragraph, this essay will explain the reader's reactions concerning the social gap between these two characters. [...]

[...] Works Cited: Brodsky Lacour, Claudia and Schappell, Elissa. “Toni Morrison, The Art of Fiction No. 134” The Paris Review. Web. Morrison, Toni. “Recitative” Doc. Web. [...]

[...] One may conclude that the ambiguous situation of racial segregation at the beginning of the story is clearly underlined on the last pages of "Recitative". Neither Twyla nor Roberta have empathy for the other one and not converge to acculturation. Toni Morrison takes into account a set of criteria, to explain this situation. Racial combat is powered by the strength and the determination of each person representing the opposing society. Hence, the trauma caused by the racism is the same for whites and blacks, and the freedom of rebellion lead to a sociocultural revolution. [...]

[...] Recitatif - Tony Morrison: racial division Never has there been a subject that has aroused as much discussion as racial division. Toni Morrison wrote “Recitatif” in 1983. Twyla and Roberta, two young girls grow up in segregation atmosphere. Even though this situation will be implicit the entire story long, the author desires to make the reader understand the historical context through permanent tension between these two friends. Indeed, their social classes and cultures will separate them. Through this story, Toni Morrison will imply that discrimination can change a state of mind. [...]

[...] During an interview, the author Toni Morrison affirmed “use class codes, but no racial codes” (Brodsky Lacour, Claudia and Schappell, Elissa). She also exposes the discrimination existing between blacks and whites during this decade. Indeed, when Twyla meets Roberta, she seems to approve the racial stereotype reported by her mother; people like Roberta, “never washed their hair and they smelled funny” Moreover, when their two mothers met each other, Roberta's “grabbed Roberta [ ] and stepped out of line” This shared racism is illustrated throughout the entire story through the girls' relationship. [...]