The Narrator Refuses to Describe Self
Artists, even most modern people, are very visual. Books are turned down for the movies. The advanced special effects and beautiful cinematography replace the inner designer, director and screenplay writer. Toni Morrison’s short story, "Recitatif" reminds me about our dependency on images. "Recitatif" is a story about racial differences, but without explicitly saying which of the two main characters is white and which one is black. It is up to the reader to guess which of Roberta and Twyla is which. The reader finds out more about himself or herself in doing so. Is he or she prejudiced, and dependent on racial stereotyping?
Now, what if you don’t know me? Then, I refuse to describe myself to you. I write things… Probably mean things. How will you judge me? What if I joke about something, but I do it in let us say, my "usual" deadpan way and you can’t read it that way, because I am anonymous? I already have had a bad experience posting something via Friendster bulletin…about hating guys, which I don’t. I didnt even have a boyfriend yet at that time…nobody to blame for manhating ways. I just posted something for people to peruse and judge for themselves. I was not personally involved. and yet…people reacted. Guys messaged me angrily, without asking first…without knowing who I am…that I like posting things for people to think about…I am not your usual "parinig" person. I’d do it directly if I am on some kind of crusade. It will not be through a forward. It will be through a message written by me.
The narrator refuses to describe self. The narrator is tired. Tired of a world wherein photos are attached on resumes, cute kids are less scolded, pretty ones get jobs they don’t have a talent for… Morrison lets us judge Roberta and Twyla as the persons they are, not for little black girl so-and-so with her white friend miss thing.
But you know me. And how you know me will color your interpretation of what I just wrote.
