Toni Morrison

R E C I T A T I F

Jean, Eva, Rebecca, Harry

 CONTENTS

Information Questions
Plot Black or White?
Timeline Busing Protest
About Maggie
 INFORMATION

Plot & Timeline

Jean
 PLOT 1 Exposition P.231

Twyla and Roberta met in the shelter.

One is white, and the other one is black.
Twyla's mom keeps dancing, and Roberta's
mom is sick.
4
2 Rising Action A
3 After both leaving the shelter, Twyla and
5
Roberta have encountered several times in
2 different time and places.
6
1 (Details would be described later.)
3 Rising Action B P.240

Twyla and Roberta have different opinions

on their kids' busing issues.
 4 Climax P.240-P.241

PLOT Roberta didn't give a hand to Twyla.

Twyla couldn’t agree with the “fact” about
St.Bonny's and Maggie that Roberta
mentioned .

4 5 Falling Action P.241-P.242

Twyla joined in the protest which is against

3
5 Roberta’s perspective, and at the end
2 Roberta didn't show up and disappeared.
6
1 6 Resolution P.243

Twyla and Roberta met again and reached

a consensus on the "fact" about St.Bonny's
and Maggie.
 TIMELINE
of the meeting between Twyla and Roberta

Time Place What happened

1 August Howard Johnson's Twyla -> Roberta P.235

P.236
Newburgh's food Roberta -> Twyla
2 late June |
emporium Maggie, races P.239

P.239
Twyla -> Roberta
3 Fall By the school |
Bussing protest P.241
 TIMELINE
of the meeting between Twyla and Roberta

Time Place What happened

P.241
During the Roberta seemed not to
4 By the school |
protest know Twyla's presence P.242

P.243
Roberta -> Twyla
5 Christmas A small diner |
Maggie and St.Bonny's P.244
 QUESTION 01

Black or White?

Eva
 WHAT Twyla and Roberta are from

WE KNEW different races.

"...in a strange place with a girl from a

whole other race." P.231
 1. Smell P.231
"...they smelled funny. Roberta sure did."
If Twyla is white
If Roberta is white

BLACK 2. Roberta's mother's reaction P.234

OR "...just grabbed Roberta...and stepped out

WHITE? of line."
If Roberta is white
If Twyla is white
 3. Reaction when their kids are
forced to change schools
'Roberta chose to protest, while Twyla
simply accepted it.'
If Roberta is white
P.239-P.240
If Twyla is white
BLACK
OR 4. Maggie's color P.241

WHITE? whether they kicked her

 IN CONCLUSION
(in my opinion)

1. Twyla is white since she is the narrator.

2. Why she didn't protest?
3. Did she kick Maggie? If yes, why does she deny?

In conclusion, there is no conclusion but confusing...

 QUESTION 02

Busing Protest

Harry
DESEGREGATION BUSING
Enacted in 1970s
Reducing segregation
promoting racial diversity
in school
Facing severe protests
affecting learning quality
rights to choose school
long travel time, short
family time
WHY ROBERTA PROTEST
AGAINST BUSING?

Roberta is one of those white parents.

Roberta wants to be a caring mother.
SYMBOLS
IN THIS PART Protest signs
Powerless girl
Adults who express their
opinions
Still bickering through signs
How would you know? P.241

Is your mother well? P.241

-> Twyla still needs Roberta for her self-identification.

P.239
|
p.242
 QUESTION 03

About Maggie

Rebecca
 QUESTION(1)

Who is the character Maggie

in this story?
ANSWERS

1. Voiceless, disabled, the oppressed, childlike, who

works in the kitchen of St. Bonny's.
SUPPORTED
EVIDENCES
1. "Maggie couldn't talk."
2. "The kitchen woman With legs like parenthesis."
3. "She rocked when she walked."
4. "She wore this really stupid little hat."

P.232
 QUESTION(2)

Twyla and Roberta teased Maggie,

what do you think the reason might be?
P.232
ANSWERS

The reason might be that they didn't know how to

relieve their oppressed feelings in St.Bonny's
since they were not real orphans, so they
transferred their agonies to Maggie, who was
voiceless and excluded by the girls.
T H A N K

Y O U !