Recitatif Literary Elements

Short story

Late 1950s-1980s America; each time the women encounter each other, it is a bit later in their lives

First-person narration by Twyla

Tone:
questioning, bewildered, embarrassed, calm, meditative, earnest

Mood:
worried, confused, disappointed, contemplative

Both woman are protagonists, though sometimes Roberta seems like an antagonist to Twyla. Big Bozo is a minor antagonist.

What happened to Maggie, and what was the girls' role in it? Can two girls of different races be friends?

The story reaches its climax when Roberta and Twyla both begin to protest.

Twyla's focus on the orchard foreshadows that something formative happened there.

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1. "The Wizard of Oz," a prominent 1939 film
2. Jimi Hendrix, an influential guitar player and singer in the 1960s who died of an overdose and asphyxiation in 1970
3. "The Price is Right" and "The Brady Bunch" were popular TV shows

An important image appears in the beginning of the story when Twyla describes herself and Roberta as being like salt and pepper. The comparison here is suggestive; the narrator implies that she and Roberta were complementing one another. Through this imagery, Twyla lets the reader understand that while many believed them to be different, they were, in reality, very much alike and that not many things distinguished them, apart from their skin color.

After seeing Roberta again, Twyla begins thinking about the time she spent at the orphanage and how she interacted with Maggie, the infirm cook. Twyla claims that she never wanted to harm Maggie, but then, paradoxically, she claims that she did think about hitting her and hurting her on some occasions.

1. The narrator draws a parallel between her mother and Roberta’s mother. In both cases, the women were not considered as being fit of being mothers and thus were criticized by society. The narrator mentions that Roberta’s mother was sick and was therefore unable to take care of her child. Twyla’s mother, on the other hand, was considered unfit to raise her child because she spent her days partying and dancing.
2. Twyla says, "I wonder what made me think you were different" and Roberta replies with the exact same line.

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