Susana Morris’ scholastic journal article “Sisters separated for much too long- Women’s Friendship and Power in Toni Morrison’s ‘Recitatif’” presents the argument that while Morrison is trying to use her story as a racial allegory, the critical component of power structures in women’s friendships have been critically left out in other scholarship of Morrison’s story. Throughout Morris’ argument, she assesses how race is ultimately connected through class and gender. She says that it is extremely important to note that in the story Twyla and Roberta’s gender is left out, but for better reason than just to try to make the readers read with out prejudice bias. She states that Morrison leaves their races out because she wants to show the anxiety each girl feels about their friendship due to the power struggle each girl feels about the other. Her argument concludes by saying the point of “Recitatif” is to show how the girls attempt to dismantle gender socialization when they start questioning the concept of power in friendships, and then start to reject those notions. Morris also includes in her argument that she believes Morrison purposely made “Recitatif” a women filled story to show the inner power struggles between women and their interactions with other women, and then threw in gender as an important factor.
I definitely agree with this argument for several reasons. The oppression of women has been there for the very beginning of time, and is still present today. While I do think there is just as much racial oppression, women have been backed into a corner forcing them to turn on each other to somehow get a leg up on their oppression. While I can see why other scholarship about “recitative” focus’s on the race aspect and the interesting question on why Morrison left out the races of Twyla and Roberta, I definitely agree with Susana Morris’ argument that it was because of the bigger reason to show power struggles within their friendship because of their gender.
The journal article makes note that while in St. Bonny’s after the initial rejection of each other; the two girls do in fact bond together for several reasons including their fear of the old girls in the shelter. Then when the story jumps to their future encounters, that is where we start to see the power struggle due to their social classes.
I think it is important to note that while the girls seemingly had similar beginnings in the story, both starting at St. Bonny’s, by the end of the story the two women have reached different outcomes in their lives, and that provides for much of the tension and power struggle between the two. Gender is yet again an important factor in their power struggle, especially when the issue of bussing their children comes up near the end of the story. Twyla and Roberta have different views, and thus that shows their power struggle to be the “right” mother.
Lastly, I want to agree with Morris’ description of Maggie, the disabled older woman who works in the kitchen at the shelter. While I think all the girls in the shelter are seemingly vulnerable and helpless, the power struggle comes when Twyla and Roberta talk about the way they treated Maggie, how was also helpless due to her disability. At the end of the story, they realize Maggie was a link to the two girls’ struggle for power.
Morris, Susana M. “”Sisters Separated for Much Too Long”: Women’s Friendship and Power in Toni Morrison’s “Recitatif”” Project Muse 32.1 (2013): 159-80. Quick Search. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.
jessekeener 