Decodfing Racial Stereotypes

In the short story “Recitatif” by Toni Morrison, instead of revealing the race of the two main characters, Morrison leaves it up to the reader to decide based on the pre-existing stereotypes of both blacks and whites. The way that Morrison does this is by showing how the relationship between Twyla and Roberta is shaped by their racial difference. There are several points in the story where the reader can draw his or her own conclusion about that race of the individuals.

One instance of where racial stereotyping plays a role in this story is during Twyla and Roberta’s third encounter, which his 20 years after they met at St. Bonny’s. Tyra is middle class and married to a firefighter, while Roberta is rich and married to an IBM executive. Although Morrison doesn’t reveal the race of either character, my assumption at this point is that Tyra is black and Roberta is white because it is a socially perceived stereotype that white people have more money and live more comfortably than black people. However, there is also a negative stereotype of white women hidden in this encounter that I believe Morrison is trying to get across. To me, the term “IBM executive” has a negative connotation as sort of snobby, and carries the notion that white women marry for money.

Another example of racial stereotypes affecting the mind of the reader is during Twyla and Roberta’s second encounter, when Twyla is working behind the counter at “the Howard Johnson’s on Thruway,” which is a hotel of some sort. She notices that Roberta is sitting in a booth with “two guys smothered in head and facial hair,” and discovers that they are on their way to the west coast to keep an appointment with Jimi Hendrix. Based on this passage, contrary to their third encounter, I’m inclined to say that Twyla is white because she could very well be a young white girl working behind the counter at a hotel trying to earn some extra money. Roberta, on the other hand, is hanging out with these hairy people that are followers of Jimi Hendrix, and I picture them having dreadlocks and beards. Based on my assumptions and socially perceived racial stereoypes, I would conclude from this encounter that Roberta is black.

Lastly, a scene that struck me as important in trying to decipher the race of each character was the church scene. Roberta’s mother is describes as having a cross on her large chest, which makes me want to assume that she is a black women because of the stereotype that black women have larger breasts that white women. There is no actual evidence that reveals the race of each character, it’s all in the reader’s head. That is one of the important ideas that this story brings to light; if someone asked my why at one point did I assume Roberta was black and Twyla was white, or vice versa, I wouldn’t have factual evidence, just my knowledge and experience of racial stereotypes of the lifestyle differences between blacks and whites.