- Choose a moment in “Recitatif” in which you see the issue of race enter into Twyla and Roberta’s story. Describe the moment, and explain what you think seems to be going on. What issues seem to divide the two characters? Can you identify their racial identities? How?
A moment that the issue of race enters the story is when Twyla and Roberta were first introduced to each other and Twyla got sick to her stomach because of Roberta. Twyla said, “And Mary, that’s my mother, she was right. Every now and then she would stop dancing long enough to tell me something important and one of the things she said was that they never washed their hair and they smelled funny. Roberta sure did.” Twyla was taught by her mother certain stereotypes at a young age by her mother, and this prejudice towards this particular race about not washing their hair and smelling funny was associated somehow with Roberta and her race, when in reality anyone could smell funny or not wash their hair, it has nothing to do with one’s racial identity. Having this preconceived notion divides Twyla and Roberta because Twyla is being closed-minded for having this attitude towards Roberta, instead of being friends instantly or getting to know Roberta and letting the friendship develop gradually due to Roberta’s personality, and this eventually happens as they became roommates. In this scenario, I cannot identify their racial identities for there isn’t any evidence to come to a definite conclusion because personal hygiene isn’t fixed to any race.
2. Toni Morrison’s story explores the challenges of navigating racial/cultural/and socio-economic differences in our personal relationships. Reflect upon an experience in your own life when you have had to navigate differences of this sort. Describe the experience. What issues or complications arose? How were they resolved?
I can’t recall personal experiences of navigating these certain challenges perhaps because I repressed those memories and because of my poor memory, but I do remember one time as I was heading to my high school taking the subway every morning as I did, there were these two Spanish teens who were up to no good. Inside this subway cart, they were clearly bullies and calling me names and whatnot, calling me a terrorist, which made me confused because I was not associated with that. Because of my appearance and my skin color, they thought I was middle eastern and Muslim, therefore they automatically assumed I was a terrorist. I thought I was going to have to defend myself eventually and fight these two guys, luckily the situation did not escalate, as I told them that I was Dominican. I could only imagine the terrible experiences Muslims had to endure, the prejudice and stereotypes after 9/11. I wonder since the aftermath of 9/11, did many middle eastern people often have to lie or hide who they were in order to get out of a sticky situation just as in the 20th century, some African Americans wore turbans to pass for Indian to avoid Jim Crow laws. I don’t think people should lump up a whole faith and blame them all for what happened on that day. Even to this day, some people have a serious cautious attitude or dislike when encountering a Muslim, an Arab, or middle eastern person at an airport or at a subway station or anywhere. That is something that might slowly dissolve over time as that fateful day becomes more distant, just as racism in America is slowly dissolving, even though at times it may not seem like it, but there’s been progress as we move further and further away from American slavery’s history.
