Recitatiff

[wshuford]

Toni Morrison’s Recitatiff is a slow uncovering of marginalization. Maggie, a girl who was both mute and an orphan is introduced to the story at first as a side-character in the story of two young girls placed in a shelter. However, as the two women age and mature the begin to understand the ways in which they exacted power over Maggie. Roberta seems to have an epiphany around the time the story turns to the marginalization of the African American community. Both Twyla and Roberta seem to come to terms with what they did and felt towards Maggie at the end of the story. Their conclusion is that they acted in ignorance, they were both eight years old when they interacted with Maggie. This reveals the stories argument about marginalization, that it is often rooted in ignorance and misunderstanding.

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