Research Guides: Morrison, Toni: Critical Articles

Articles

""What the Hell Happened to Maggie?": Stereotype, Sympathy, and Disability in Toni Morrison's "Recitatif"" by Howard Skylar
The article shows that, while the "no pity" position justifiably opposes representations of the disabled that reinforce the perceived weaknesses of the disabled population, there are alternative ways of looking at the role played by sympathy in response to disabled characters in fiction, as is emphasized by an examination of Toni Morrison's short story "Recitatif." While the narrative's dependence on the implicitly disabled character Maggie for its effects suggests that she serves a "prosthetic" role in the development of the protagonists' (and readers') sympathy, the article argues that "Recitatif" makes a significant move in guiding readers toward a more complex view of Maggie's identity, as well as a level of sympathetic engagement that effectively transcends her apparently prosthetic function. Thus, it is demonstrated that a rigid rejection of sympathetic responses to disabled characters denies readers an important opportunity to develop "a cultivated imagination for what men have in common and a rebellion at whatever unnecessarily divides them" (Dewey, 121).
"Maggie in Toni Morrison's "Recitatif": the Africanist presence and disability studies" by Sandra Kumamoto Stanley
Critics have regarded Toni Morrison's "Recitatif" (1983) as a tour de force of racial readings and misreadings--a work exposing society's unspoken racialized codes. (1) In this short story tracing the lives of Twyla and Roberta from their youth in a shelter at St. Bonaventure to various stages of their adulthood, Morrison explores the experiences of two girls of different races, but she never reveals the race of either girl except through a series of social codes that underscore how race may be conflated with class, ambiguous physical traits, and social rituals such as eating certain foods. In Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination (1992), Morrison explains, "The only short story I have ever written, 'Recitatif,' was an experiment in the removal of all racial codes from a narrative about two characters of different races for whom racial identity is crucial" (xi). Thus, it is not surprising that critics have been pre-occupied with the question: Which character is white and which character is black?
"Toni Morrison's 'Recitatif' of Race, Gender, and Myth" by Terry Otten
In the following essay, Otten discusses "Recitatif" as both a departure from and a reflection of Morrison's novels, noting that this short story not only explores racial and gender considerations, but also probes the mythic significance of initiation themes.

Primo Search

Find Books, eBooks, Articles, DVDs, and Streaming Videos

Visit our Primo Research Guide if you have any questions.

Google Scholar Search

We suggest using the recommended databases first, but Google Scholar can offer additional sources.

General Search Tips

Begin your research with an initial search in Primo, and then explore subject-specific databases for more targeted results.
Utilize Boolean search terms to enhance your search effectiveness: AND narrows results to those containing both search terms; OR expands results to include either search term (not necessarily both); and NOT eliminates results containing the specified term.
Commence with a general search, refining it to become more specific as needed. If you possess a basic understanding of your desired focus, search using a broad term and narrow it down based on available resources.
Examine the subject terms and keywords used in the articles you discover. If they appear relevant, consider incorporating them into your search terms. Should your results be too extensive, add supplementary search terms to refine your inquiry further.
To search for a specific phrase, enclose it in quotation marks. This ensures the search engine looks for the exact phrase, rather than each word individually. For instance, searching "To be or not to be" will yield that precise phrase, rather than individual words.
To locate a word or phrase within an article PDF, e-book, or webpage, use the CTRL and F keys to open a search box that scans the text within a document. Remember to maintain a formal tone and employ an informative writing style in English throughout your research process.

If you need more, check our advanced guide to Database Search Tips.