Answer the following questions:
1.) With Twyla and Roberta we have one Afro-American character and one Caucasian-American
character, but
which character is which? And, how did you arrive at your decision? What is your evidence?
2.) Why does Twyla stay at the demonstration, carrying her sign, even when the disorder of the group has
made her own placard meaningless?
3) Why does the story continually return to references to the orchard and to Maggie? What is significant in
these continual references? What are we to make of the confusion Twyla experiences in her memories of
these things?Roberta tells Twyla one version of those events she but later she questions her memories and doubts her own story. What’s going on here?
4) How is the title of connected to the theme of the story and to question number three? “Recitatif.”
According to The American Heritage College Dictionary means “recitation” in other words “tell the story again”
Other definitions include:
The public reading aloud of something or reciting of something from memory, esp. poetry.
The listing or reporting of something.
Of, or relating to, or having the character of a recital or recitation.
Mus. – a vocal style in which a text is declaimed in the rhythm of natural speech with slight melodic
variation.
Sample Solution
