Recitatif

The absence of a mother figure is what helps Twyla and Roberta overcome their racial differences. Even though they are from different races they have a link in common, they are not “real orphans withbeautiful dead parents in the sky.” Instead they were just dumped into St. Bonny’s because their mothers could not take care of them. This feeling of abandonment and not fitting in is stronger thanthe racist concepts they had been taught by their mothers. Abandonment is what helps them to be able to overlook the racial issues and be friends.
Their friendship is different from those of otherkids since it is based on rejection, not only from the other kids, but also from their own mothers. At the beginning of “Recitatif” it is said by Twyla that her mother would not have approved her beingroommate of a girl of another race. Since it is not possible for her to be placed in another room she has to stay with Roberta. They did not like each other at first. But since they were the outcastsof the orphanage, they both had living mothers, they ended up together. Because of this situation their friendship could be considered to be superficial at first. With time the bond with each otherbecomes stronger, when they are at the orchard watching the “gag-girls” and later on being abused by them.
The two moments that are critical for their friendship are the visit of their mothers andthe incident with Maggie. When they find out that both their mothers were visiting on the same day they start helping each other get ready. They curl each others hair and prepare a paper basket withjelly beans inside. Roberta even thinks that if her sick mother met Twyla’s dancing mother it would cheer her up. Their expectations of that moment did not took on account their mothers racial issues. Sowhen Roberta introduces Twyla and Mary to her mother hoping to cheer her up, her reaction is the opposite of what she expected. Her mother just looks at them and walks away. Later on during lunch...