recitatif课件设计模板.pptx

Recitatif Recitatif is Toni Morrison’s only published work of short fiction. It tells the story of the conflicted friendship between two girls — one black and one white. The story explores how the relationship between the two main characters is shaped by their racial difference, and their different sides of economic and political divides. What’s in the title? Recitatif The dictionary meaning is “a musical declamation（朗诵）of the kind used in the narrative and dialogue parts of opera and oratorio（圣乐）.” Toni Morrison uses this word as the title for two reasons. 1) Firstly, the novel is the narration of Twyla, it’s just like a recitatif of her own memory. 2) Secondly, it’s used to encourage and call on the black people to speak up for equality, freedom and democracy. MainCharacters Twyla Benson Twyla is the main character and the story’s narrator. Her mother “danced all night” and was thus unable to care for her. Her childhood experiences exerts side effects on her whole life. She marries into a stable, rooted family and becomes an ordinary housewife. Lacking knowledge and cognitive capacity, her life is totally confined to a narrow sect. she cares nothing about the society and politics and shows indifference towards the disabled and the black. Roberta Fisk Roberta is Twyla’s friend and she is also the source of the main conflict of the story. Roberta’s mother is a stern, religious woman who is too sick to care for her. Though with similar childhood experience, Roberta’s adult life forms a striking contrast with that of Twyla’s. She marries a wealthy executive and lives in well-off life. She is race-conscious, society-conscious and has rebellious spirit. She never forgets the insults Maggie suffered, she leads the black women to strive for equality for the black, democracy and freedom for the whole nation. Roberta is brave and intelligent , different from the traditional black women. Maggie Maggie works at the kitchen of the orphanage. She is a dumb black