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Examples Of Racial Differences In Recitatif By Tony Morrison

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Racial Differences Have you ever thought that race could have effects friendships? It is possible to see in “Recitatif” by Tony Morrison the time period shows the Twyla and Roberta can never develop a friendship. Twyla and Roberta characters are greatly influence by society as the time goes by. In the story it shows that racial differences has an effect in friendship due to the fact that society does not accept it. The two main characters in “Recitatif”, Roberta and Twyla, both of different races are affected by this in that the decisions that they make really hurts their friendship. Their friendship is up and down with examples in that they sometimes are on the opposite sides of a decision because of the racial differences they have. Having …show more content…

Even though society was against interracial friendships during their time period Roberta and Twyla had become friends for a short period of time “We got along all right, Roberta and me. Changed beds every night, got F’s in civics and communication skills and gym… So we got along-what with her leaving whole pieces of things on her plate and being not about no asking” (Morrison 1). Being able to see that both of them were able to get along just fine and actually talk to each other showed society’s idea of them being friends had not effected them at such a young age and they developed friendships amongst themselves. Roberta had become more corrupt as time developed due to society, with her friendship towards Twyla “‘Hendrix. Jimi Hendrix…He’s only the biggest-Oh, wow, Forget it’” (Morrison 1). Being older and having more of an interaction with others shows her friendship towards Twyla has changed greatly and does not have respect towards her. Society had finally corrupted their relationship with one another completely “Now they surrounded my car… my arm shot out of the car window but no receiving hand was there. Roberta was looking at me sway from side to side in the car and her face was still” (Morrison 1). Understanding this helps to show that Roberta has completely become corrupt with her friendship she has towards

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