Analysis W16: "RECITATIF"

 And A Child Shall Lead Them

As children it is anything but difficult to notice everything that is different, on the grounds that as a child you are curious by nature. In the same matter, it is just as easy for them to overcome those differences because their innocence makes them blind and resilient. Likewise, with the story of Recitatif, we see two young girls who originate from two distinct races and two different worlds. We see that they are drawn by their commonalities instead of being isolated by their race. The author never reveals which child is of what race, forcing the reader to arrive to their own conclusion while challenging, perhaps, our own social constructs about race.

In the beginning of the story, there are two young girls, from different races being introduced to one another, while being made aware that they will be sharing a room at the St. Bonny’s shelter. “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 from a whole other race (1174). We can conclude that Twyla’s thoughts about race stemmed from her mother, “……one thing she said was that they never washed their hair and they smelled funny” (1174). She had been programmed to dislike and recognize differences in another race, “my mother won’t like you putting me in here with her” (1174). Roberta never realized that Twyla was speaking of her mother’s disapproval to being in a room with someone of a different race. Despite their awkward introduction, the girls found a way to bond with things they had in common, such as being the same age, failing school, and they were not considered real orphans. Race was not an issue for the girls, neither did they care anything about religion or being dignified, even though the author indirectly insinuates that Roberta’s mother did when she met Twyla’s mom. “… she didn’t say anything, just grabbed Roberta with her bible-free hand and stepped out of line, walking quickly to the rear of it” (1177). Again, the author leaves it up to us to conclude why she did not shake Mary’s hand. One can assume that Twyla’s mother had an issue with race, while Roberta’s mom had an issue with class, perhaps she judged Mary by the way she was dressed. Yet, again, we see these two resilient kids rising above what has been demonstrated to them by their parents and kept their bond strong in the only way a child could… “she did bring a stack of grahams up to me later when the visit was over. I think she was sorry that her mother would not shake my mother’s hand” (1177). It was not until they were adults when we see Roberta and Twyla’s inability to overcome the pressures of racial indifference. They are now a part of two different worlds and struggles to find and hold on to what connected them as children. Therefore, they continued to speak about their parents and the people at St. Bonny’s shelter. Their childhood gave them permission to look pass their class and race. It was this place that reminded them that underneath it all, they were two girls whose mothers abandoned them, race or money did not play a part in that truth. Kids are taught to reject or accept the differences in other people. A child is not born indifferent to another human being. Today, with all the racial tension, I believe we can all learn a lot from a child.



Morrison, Toni. “Recitatif” The Norton Anthology World Literature. Martin Puchner. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012, p.1174-1187. Book.