Ronise Felix

Homework

Reading response

English

From the clues provided by the narrator, how do you figure out the race and class backgrounds of the two main characters, Twyla and Roberta?  Why do you think Toni Morrison presents this in the way she does?  What is she trying to show her readers?

The “Recitatif” story writing by Toni Morrison. They explain about the friendship between the narrator Twyla and Roberta. At first they grow up in an orphanage for girl. They were there not because they were orphans but because the mother of Twyla like or choose to dance she does not have time to take care of her. However, the mother of Roberta was sick that’s why she could not take care of her. It’s hard to figure out the races of the girls but one think that make me figure out the race and the class of the two main characters is when the mother of Twyla and the mother of Roberta come to see them. The mother of Roberta did not want to shake hand with Twyla’s mother. I think Roberta’s mother was white and Mary the mother of Twyla was black because at that time racism existed so she feels that she is better than Twyla’s mother.  Furthermore, the mother of Twyla did not bring any food for her, but the mother of Roberta brought her good food “chicken legs and ham sandwiches and orange and a whole box of chocolate-covered graham and she drank milk.” This sentence makes me realize that the mother of Twyla did not even have opportunities to bring something for her little girl. So they were poor. I think the narrator choose to write like that to make us able to distinguish the two races and classes of these two girl that grow together in an orphanage. Also, the narrator wants to demonstrate the difference between black and white at that time. I think through the story she try to explain that white and black can be have different color of skin but they both can achieve something example get married and have children. What I very like in this story is that; at first Roberta did not know how to read and white but in the future she learns how to white. The narrator makes me realize that is never too late to go to school and she value school because read and white could make have a better place in society.

She also value friendship even though a little bit of jealousy were between them when they grow up but they still reminisce the ancient time and they friendship continue.