How does Toni Morrison use ambiguity and the absence of explicit racial markers to explore themes of identity, memory, and the complexities of race in “Recitatif”?

In “Recitatif,” a short story by Toni Morrison, the ambiguity and absence of explicit racial markers interrogate identity, memory, and the complicated nature of race itself. The story follows two girls, Twyla and Roberta, who meet when they are very young in a shelter and become linked throughout their lives.

Morrison’s primary mode of ambiguity is leaving racial identity undefined between the two protagonists. This, in turn, puts the onus of judgment on the reader’s own understanding and prejudices regarding race. The reader starts to wonder how their conception would have differed if they had had access to the characters’ known racial identities. When Twyla and Roberta meet as adults, they talk about their mothers. Twyla’s mother is described as “pretty,” and Roberta’s mother is defined as “big.” These descriptions are ambiguous and could be interpreted differently depending on the reader’s assumptions about race.  

For memory-ambiguity is an important tool in Morrison. The two protagonists remember different things from the same shared experiences, bringing out the subjectiveness of memory. This ambiguity makes the reader feel compelled to inquire into the conditions of memory and how it creates the pathways through which it shapes the past’s understanding. Twyla and Roberta have different memories of an incident involving a woman named Maggie. Twyla remembers Maggie being pushed down by a group of girls, while Roberta remembers Maggie being kicked by Twyla. This ambiguity highlights how personal experiences and biases can shape memory. 

Ultimately, the absence of specific race markers in the short story “Recitatif” demonstrates the complexity of race. Morrison shows that race is not just simplified to either/or but quite a complex layered social construction. It makes readers think critically about how race shapes our lives and our relationships with one another. In the story, Twyla and Roberta make certain ambiguous comments about race.

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