Recitatif- Shawn Bendeck

               1. 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?

            The issue and theme of race arises throughout several points throughout the text. Right from the beginning of the text the issue of race arises immediately. Twyla is discomforted of the idea of sharing a room with Roberta. Twyla hadn’t even met Roberta and their relationship couldn’t even start before acknowledging the fact that she had to share a room with a girl from another race. She states that even the thought of sharing a room with someone from another race made her sick to her stomach. Even her mother had her in belief that the race of Robertas people she had smelled funny and never washed their hair. Who knows if Twyla had even met someone of Roberta’s race and she is most definitely pre judging her as she doesn’t even know her at this point of the book. The issue of race divide the two characters at first because they are young and have just met each other and have been previously been told negative things about the other. I feel that Roberta had been black and Twyla white. I could feel the uneasiness of Twyla once is comes to black people, but she is only learning more and more as the book progresses through the different time periods.

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?

         Growing up my family wasn’t always the wealthiest bunch of people. I moved to queens and attended a high school on a football scholarship. The thing is that this school was a catholic with very rich Caucasian’s. It had been difficult to fit in with my classmates due to the way they carried themselves. We just didn’t relate or have the same luxuries. Kids would bring their expensive backpacks, shoes, and accessories to school. I hadn’t had much where I could just bring to school to show off for a school day. My job was to come to school play football and receive an excellent education. Imagine going to a million sweet 16s and these females expect a gift from you. Its difficult to just offer $50 just for your grand occasion. I was always that kid with $5 on me while my classmates rely on family wealth and money is never an issue. However, I did meet great people and created memories that will last forever but attending this catholic school really showed me what high class people really look like and wealthy individuals and who wouldn’t want that one day for themselves as it also motivates me to be successful as I can for my children so they could live their happiest lives.