In Recitatif, Toni Morrison uses ambiguity and the absence of explicit racial markers to explore themes of identity, memory, and the complexities of race. One example of ambiguity is when Twyla and Roberta first meet at the shelter. Hints about their backgrounds, such as Twyla’s mother being “too busy” and Roberta’s family being more “well-off,” Morrison never explicitly states whether they are Black or white. Early on, Twyla mentions how people assumed she and Roberta were of different races, but the story never confirms it. This ambiguity forces readers to question their own assumptions about race and class and highlights how racial identity can be constructed based on appearance or social context.

Another example occurs when the two women recall an incident at the shelter involving a group of girls. Twyla and Roberta each have different memories of what happened, but neither woman explicitly states which girls were Black and which were white. This lack of racial markers emphasizes the fluidity of memory and how our recollections of events can shift over time. It also suggests that race may not be as clear-cut as we often think; it is shaped by perception and the context in which events are remembered.

Finally, when Twyla and Roberta meet as adults, their differing views on race highlight how identity and memory evolve over time. Roberta’s views on race have changed, particularly during the civil rights movement, while Twyla’s perspective remains more straightforward. This contrast shows how societal changes influence personal identities and how people’s understanding of race can be shaped by their experiences.

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