“On all of its levels, memory is defined by an intricate interaction between remembering and forgetting. ”This statement certainly includes the term “race”, a term that has, for a long time, been very present in American history and is still of high importance today. Toni Morrison deals to a great extent with this term in her writings, for example her only short story "Recitatif", where two girls of different races witness a beating incident in the orphanage “St. Bonny's” they live in and who, in the course of the story, revisit their memories of the incident several times. In the 20th century, many analyses of "Recitatif" therefore focused on putting racial markers on the two protagonists, showing how Morrison wants to make her readers aware of their own racial stereotypes.
This approach is justified and certainly reveals much of Morrison's intention as the author, but I suggest that the story does not merely deal with racial markers. Hence, this paper will focus on a character that has often been left out: Maggie, the kitchen worker of St. Bonny's. Androne, Stanley and Benjamin are major voices in a small body of Recitatif scholarship that centre on Maggie: Androne offered a ground breaking study focusing on maternal figures, whereas Stanley analyses the story in the light of disability studies. Thus, it will be shown that Maggie has several functions in the text that add to the meaning of the text as well as the understanding for the reader.
This paper will investigate "Recitatif" in the light of the concepts of memory and history. I claim that through the character of Maggie, readers can better understand the memory and history of the term “race” in American history. It will be shown how the returning and dividing memories of the incident with Maggie challenge Twyla and Roberta to not accept their memory as complete. Furthermore, it will be shown that Maggie's interstitial narrative provides, at least to a certain extent, answers to the implied question driving Recitatif: if memory is so unstable, how can whites and blacks ever communicate effectively about the history they share?
Table of Contents
- INTRODUCTION
- MAIN PART
- Ways of Reading Recitatif
- Different Formats of Memories
- The Approach of Reading Recitatif in "the space in between" the Binaries
- First Encounter - Maggie Representing a Marginalized History
- Second Encounter - A Shared Desire for Silence about the Past
- Third Encounter - Diverging Accounts Introduce the Possibility of Multiple Truths
- Fourth Encounter - The Truth Lies in “the space in between”
- Fifth Encounter - The Question of Guilt
- The Function of Maggie's Bowed Legs as Parentheses
- The Intertwining of History and Memory in “the space in between”
- CONCLUSION
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to analyze Toni Morrison's Recitatif through the lens of memory and history, focusing on the often-overlooked character of Maggie. It challenges the typical interpretations centered solely on racial markers, arguing that Maggie's role provides a deeper understanding of the complexities of race in American history. The analysis explores how Maggie's presence shapes the narrative, challenging the fixed binaries of victim/victimizer and black/white.
- The instability of memory and its impact on the understanding of historical events.
- The function of Maggie as a marginalized figure representing the silenced aspects of history.
- The exploration of racial identity and its influence on personal memories and perspectives.
- The concept of "the space in between" as a site for understanding the complexities of race and memory.
- The role of shared history in shaping communication and understanding between individuals.
Chapter Summaries
INTRODUCTION: This introduction establishes the paper's central argument: that analyzing the character of Maggie in Toni Morrison's Recitatif offers a nuanced perspective on the memory and history of "race" in America. It challenges the prevailing focus on racial binaries within the story, arguing that Maggie's role provides crucial insight into the complexities of collective memory and the instability of individual recollections. The introduction references existing scholarship on Recitatif, highlighting the contributions of Androne and Stanley, who also focus on Maggie but from different critical perspectives. The introduction clearly states the paper's methodology, which involves investigating the five encounters between the protagonists, Twyla and Roberta, and analyzing Maggie's function in each. The author explains that this will reveal how Maggie's experiences challenge the idea of fixed and definitive memories of the past.
MAIN PART: Ways of Reading Recitatif: This section explores different approaches to interpreting Recitatif. It acknowledges the common critical lens of race, where readers are forced to confront their own prejudices and the urge to categorize characters racially. However, the section emphasizes the paper's alternative approach, focusing on the interplay of memory and history and how this challenges the easy application of racial markers. The section highlights the author’s intention to explore the complexities of memory, rather than simply focusing on readily apparent racial tensions. This involves examining the readers' frustration with the ambiguity of the text and situating that frustration within a broader discussion of historical and individual memory. The section introduces Maggie as a central figure whose interstitial narrative offers key insights into the central questions posed by the story: how can people with contrasting experiences and memories ever effectively communicate about their shared past?
MAIN PART: Different Formats of Memories: This section, though not explicitly detailed in the provided text, would likely discuss Assmann's framework of different types of memory, and how these relate to Twyla and Roberta's evolving recollections of their shared past. It would probably explore the interaction between remembering and forgetting in shaping their memories and how this impacts the ways that they process and make sense of the incident involving Maggie and its aftermath. This section would likely lay the groundwork for understanding how the narrative unfolds by describing how memory is constructed, reconstructed, and potentially contested.
MAIN PART: The Approach of Reading Recitatif in "the space in between" the Binaries: This section would likely detail the author's theoretical framework for reading Recitatif, specifically focusing on the concept of "the space in between" as proposed by Benjamin. This approach moves beyond a strict binary understanding of race and identity, considering the liminal spaces and ambiguous narratives that exist between these established categories. This would be where the author articulates the methodology for exploring the five encounters between Twyla and Roberta, with each encounter highlighting a different facet of Maggie’s role in the narrative. It is likely this section would introduce the concept of Maggie as a "liminal figure" and how this helps to deconstruct conventional racial binaries.
MAIN PART: First Encounter - Maggie Representing a Marginalized History: This section would analyze the first encounter between Twyla and Roberta, focusing on Maggie's initial portrayal as a mute and deaf kitchen worker. The analysis would likely explore how Maggie's characterization represents the way in which marginalized historical experiences are often ignored or minimized. The section would likely discuss how Maggie serves as a scapegoat, taking on the burden of the unsettling elements of the girls’ shared past, thus highlighting the ways in which history actively marginalizes uncomfortable truths.
MAIN PART: Second Encounter - A Shared Desire for Silence about the Past: This section would delve into the second encounter between Twyla and Roberta, highlighting the difficulties of assigning clear victim/victimizer roles in relation to Maggie. This ambiguity serves to challenge simplistic interpretations and underscores the complexities of historical memory. The shared silence about the past and the difficulty in defining responsibility for Maggie's situation demonstrate the ambiguity and potential for conflicting interpretations of historical events.
MAIN PART: Third Encounter - Diverging Accounts Introduce the Possibility of Multiple Truths: This section analyzes the third encounter, focusing on the diverging memories of Twyla and Roberta and how this divergence underscores the challenges of establishing a singular, definitive account of past events. Maggie's presence again becomes central, as the differing memories challenge the reliability of the past and its representation. The section would likely explore the idea of multiple truths and the instability of memory as key elements in understanding historical narratives.
MAIN PART: Fourth Encounter - The Truth Lies in “the space in between”: This section would analyze the fourth encounter, where the introduction of racial identity complicates the narrative. By introducing racial identity into Maggie’s character, this encounter highlights the unreliable nature of both memory and historical records. The ambiguous nature of Maggie's racial identity further emphasizes the complexities and challenges of interpreting the past, ultimately pointing to the necessity of considering "the space in between" racial categories for deeper understanding.
MAIN PART: Fifth Encounter - The Question of Guilt: This section would dissect the final encounter between Twyla and Roberta, focusing on Maggie's role as a figure of comparison for both protagonists’ mothers and as a figure with whom both identify. The analysis would likely address how Maggie’s position simultaneously reflects the shared experiences of Twyla and Roberta, further demonstrating the intricate nature of their relationship and their collective history.
MAIN PART: The Function of Maggie's Bowed Legs as Parentheses: This section would analyze the metaphorical significance of Maggie's bowed legs, interpreting them as parentheses that encapsulate the unspoken or marginalized aspects of the story. The analysis would likely explore the connection between Maggie’s physicality and the larger societal structures that marginalize and silence certain narratives. This symbolic interpretation opens up a deeper exploration of the historical context and the complex relationship between personal experience and societal forces.
MAIN PART: The Intertwining of History and Memory in “the space in between”: This section would synthesize the previous analyses, focusing on how the concepts of history and memory intertwine within the "space in between" racial binaries. The analysis would likely explore the possibilities for dialogue and reconciliation through an understanding of these complexities, concluding with a reflection on how engaging with the marginalized narratives can foster a more comprehensive understanding of the past.
Keywords
Toni Morrison, Recitatif, memory, history, race, identity, marginalized narratives, binary oppositions, “the space in between,” Maggie, collective memory, individual memory, racial ambiguity, intertextuality.
Toni Morrison's Recitatif: A Comprehensive FAQ
What is the main focus of this paper analyzing Toni Morrison's Recitatif?
This paper offers a nuanced analysis of Toni Morrison's Recitatif, shifting the focus from solely racial interpretations to a deeper exploration of memory, history, and the marginalized character of Maggie. It argues that Maggie's role provides crucial insights into the complexities of race and collective memory in America, challenging the typical victim/victimizer and black/white binaries.
What are the key themes explored in the analysis of Recitatif?
Key themes include the instability of memory and its impact on understanding historical events; Maggie's function as a marginalized figure representing silenced aspects of history; the exploration of racial identity and its influence on personal memories and perspectives; the concept of "the space in between" as a site for understanding the complexities of race and memory; and the role of shared history in shaping communication and understanding between individuals.
How does the paper approach the analysis of Recitatif?
The paper uses a unique approach, focusing on the five encounters between the protagonists, Twyla and Roberta, and analyzing Maggie's function in each. This method reveals how Maggie's experiences challenge the idea of fixed and definitive memories of the past and encourages a move beyond simplistic racial binaries. The analysis utilizes Assmann's framework of different types of memory and Benjamin's concept of "the space in between" to provide a richer understanding.
What is the significance of Maggie's character in the paper's analysis?
Maggie is central to the analysis. The paper argues that Maggie, often overlooked, represents marginalized historical experiences and the uncomfortable truths often silenced in collective memory. Her presence challenges simplistic interpretations of race and victimhood, highlighting the complexities of memory and the instability of individual recollections.
How does the paper address the issue of racial identity in Recitatif?
The paper acknowledges the prevalent focus on race in interpretations of Recitatif but proposes an alternative approach. While recognizing the importance of race, it emphasizes the interplay of memory and history, challenging the easy application of racial markers. The analysis explores the ambiguity surrounding Maggie's racial identity, highlighting the unreliable nature of both memory and historical records and the need to consider the "space in between" racial categories.
What is the concept of "the space in between" and how is it applied in the analysis?
The concept of "the space in between," drawing upon Benjamin's work, refers to the liminal spaces and ambiguous narratives existing between established categories (like race). The paper uses this framework to move beyond binary understandings of race and identity, analyzing the complexities and uncertainties inherent in both individual and collective memory.
What is the structure of the paper, and what are the key points discussed in each section?
The paper is structured with an introduction, a main part (analyzing the five encounters between Twyla and Roberta, focusing on Maggie's role in each), and a conclusion. Each section of the main part delves into a specific encounter, examining how Maggie's presence shapes the narrative and challenges fixed interpretations of the past. Additional sections explore different memory formats, the theoretical framework, and the symbolic meaning of Maggie's bowed legs.
What are the key conclusions of the paper regarding Toni Morrison's Recitatif?
The paper concludes that by focusing on Maggie, a nuanced understanding of the complexities of race, memory, and history in America emerges. The analysis emphasizes the instability of memory, the silencing of marginalized narratives, and the necessity of considering the "space in between" established categories to achieve a more comprehensive interpretation of the past. The paper highlights the potential for dialogue and reconciliation through acknowledging these complexities.
What are the key words associated with this analysis of Recitatif?
Toni Morrison, Recitatif, memory, history, race, identity, marginalized narratives, binary oppositions, “the space in between,” Maggie, collective memory, individual memory, racial ambiguity, intertextuality.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Janina Madlener (Autor:in), 2015, What the hell happened to Maggie? Memory and History of Race in Toni Morrisons's "Recitatif", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/415673
