“Recitatif” by Toni Morrison
In this story, the characters are separated by class, neither is affirmed African-American or
white. The reader is led to believe that white American woman has higher social standing than
African American women.
Although the story takes place in modern setting where laws are in place to protect the
rights of the minorities, the story suggest that even in today’s world racism still exists. For example,
in the story where the white woman’s husband has a high paying job at IBM while the African
American woman’s husband is a firefighter that barely makes enough to get by (Morrison). There
may be laws to ensure equal employment, but if the employer harbors racist beliefs there is little
way to regulate this law, this has helped people of all races gain rights in the work force as is
suggested in Morrison’s story.
Overall, this short story shows the struggles of African American women around the time
of the civil rights movement. By comparing two characters of different races but similar starting
points, one is able to access the role of race in determine what ones social standing will be later on
in life.