In Recitatif, Toni Morrison explores identity, memory, and race by using ambiguity, which means she keeps some things unclear. She never says directly what race the two main characters, Twyla and Roberta, are. Because of this, readers must think about their own ideas about race and how these ideas affect their understanding of the story.

One example of this ambiguity is in the way Twyla and Roberta’s mothers are described. Twyla’s mother likes to dance all night, and Roberta’s mother is very religious and carries a big cross. These traits suggest differences, but Morrison never confirms if they are based on race. This makes readers question how they view the characters based on their own assumptions.

Another example is Maggie, a mute woman who works in the orphanage kitchen. Twyla and Roberta argue about what happened to Maggie and even disagree on whether she was Black. This difference in memory shows how people remember things in their own way, often influenced by their identity and experiences. This also shows that race is not always clear or simple; it can be something we see differently based on our own lives.

A third example is when Twyla and Roberta meet later in life during protests over school busing, an issue tied to race. Roberta is against busing, and this puts them on opposite sides. This scene makes readers think about how race affects people’s beliefs and actions in ways that are not always expected.

Morrison’s choice to leave things unclear makes readers think deeply about how race, memory, and identity are connected and can be complex and uncertain.

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