An Analysis Of 'A Pessimistic Story In Recitatif'

A pessimistic story covers up the good with the bad. Since Twyla and Roberta were first introduced in the beginning of Recitatif, It was clear that prejudice was major theme due to Twyla 's comment “my mother won’t like you putting me in her.” Although the race of the two girls is never truly revealed, Morrison suggests that one is black and one is white. This is identified as a pessimistic story because throughout the girl 's relationship, loving moments such as the interactions between mothers and their reunion in Howard Johnson 's is covered by racial hate.

During the time they stayed at the shelter, they were protected from the racial division between the black and white community, and ultimately found nothing wrong with their relationship. As the two are exposed to reality once they leave the shelter, race wedges between the girls and causes them to drift apart. They treat each other differently, have opposite lifestyles and use race as an excuse for all of it. Twyla and Roberta’s skin color is what ultimately causes the girls to slowly separate, as they are first exposed to racial disagreement during the visit of the two girls mothers. As the time that Roberta and Twyla mothers visit was nearing, the two girls were becoming very excited to introduce their moms to each other. Once that moment came, what could have been a time of introduction, was ruined by the fact that the two moms were different races causing them to repel from each other. This caused Twyla to start