Summary Of Recitatif By T. Morrison

Through language, we are able to communicate our emotions, as they often reflect what we’re feeling on the inside to those around us whether we want to show it or not. Maggie in “Recitatif” is referred to as a “dummy.” Most kids in St. Bonny’s bully Maggie because these kids think that “she had her tongue cut out” and she also “dress like a kid even at this age“ (Morrison 2). Though, Twyla believes that she is just born mute “even for a mute, it was dumb-dressing like a kid and never saying anything at all” (Morrison 3). She still underestimates Maggie, by calling her dumb, because she is different in terms of her physical appearance compared to the people in St. Bonnys. Even Twyla recognizes the importance of communication, “but what about if somebody tries to kill her? Or what if she wants to cry? Can she cry?” (Morrison 3). According to Stanley, this incident troubles Twyla, who instinctively recognizes the power of language to legitimate value for one group and to impose the role of social and corporeal inferiority on another (Stanley 76). This means that if one is unable of communication, then this could be a gateway to a much more powerful person to oppress and discriminate him/her.
As illustrated by Maggie in “Everyday Use”, when proclaimed authority by Dee over the quilts owned by Dee’s