Toni Morrison’s essay “Recitatif” centers around the upbringing of two girls, Twyla and Roberta, in an orphanage due to their mothers’ inability to care for them. The main focus of the essay is the presence of racism, with Morrison adding an intriguing twist by keeping the girls’ races ambiguous. Despite dropping hints, Morrison never explicitly reveals whether Twyla or Roberta is black or white, emphasizing that they come from different ethnic backgrounds. At one point, Twyla remarks that they resembled salt and pepper. As the story is told in first person, it is natural for readers to identify with Twyla’s perspective. “Recitatif” proves to be a significant experiment that plays with readers’ emotions and skillfully addresses common racial stereotypes.
Morrison intentionally leaves the race of the girls unspecified, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions. Twyla is left at an orphanage by her mother, where she meets Roberta and they quickly become best friends. Their bond is formed over being abandoned children rather than actual orphans with deceased parents in heaven. Despite having few acquaintances, they still manage to embark on adventures together, such as observing older girls who smoke and dance and teasing Maggie, a mute woman who lacks the ability to defend herself. The last time they encounter each other at the orphanage occurs during a picnic, after which Roberta’s mother comes to take her home, causing a slight strain in their friendship.
Years later, Twyla and Roberta coincidentally crossed paths at the restaurant where Twyla worked. Roberta, who was high on drugs on her way to a Jimi Hendrix concert, treated Twyla with indifference. This deeply hurt Twyla as she felt insulted by her former best friend’s behavior. After twelve years had passed, they unexpectedly bumped into each other again, this time at a grocery store. Roberta, now married to a wealthy man and known as Mrs. Benson, adorned herself with diamonds and spoke kindly towards Twyla. At this point in their lives, Twyla had one child while Roberta had four children of her own. Surprisingly enough, Roberta acted extremely friendly towards Twyla as if they were long-lost best friends reuniting after all these years. Overwhelmed by emotions, Twyla couldn’t contain herself and confronted Roberta about their unpleasant encounter at the restaurant in the past. However, Roberta brushed it off attributing their behavior to racial tensions during that time – “blackwhite,” she said.With a warm farewell exchanged between them both, the women once again went their separate ways.Their third meeting occurred at the school attended by Roberta’s children where she alongside other mothers picketed against segregation in schoolsThe text explores the unresolved conflict between two extraordinary women who were childhood friends but had different racial backgrounds. The story urges readers to avoid making assumptions based on race and instead accept the characters’ identities without judgment. Morrison subtly suggests the girls’ races, leading readers to speculate. The author introduces nameless girls without explicitly mentioning their races, yet includes elements related to black and white stereotypes. While the mystery remains unsolved, one’s interpretation is influenced by their own ethnicity.
Morrison embraces the stereotypes associated with both blacks and whites. For instance, Twyla’s mother once told her that “those people” had an unpleasant smell because they didn’t wash their hair regularly. This remark could imply that Roberta, who is possibly black, falls under this stereotype as black individuals are sometimes believed to have infrequent hair washing habits. Alternatively, Twyla’s mother may have been referring to the orphans’ lack of proper bathing, which could also result in an unpleasant odor. Thus, the situation remains ambiguous, residing within a gray area.
Twyla’s mother arrived at the picnic wearing tight green slacks that emphasized her posterior, causing Twyla to feel embarrassed. This could indicate that her mother was African American, as there is a stereotype suggesting that black individuals often have larger behinds. However, it is also possible that Twyla’s mother was simply a heavy Caucasian woman with a similar body type.
During the picnic, Roberta’s mother brought various food items, including chicken legs, ham sandwiches, oranges, and a box of chocolate-covered grahams. While Roberta’s mother read from the bible, Roberta drank milk from a thermos. Twyla noticed that the chicken legs were left uneaten and commented on how “the wrong food is always with the wrong people.” This remark implies that Twyla may have become a waitress in order to match suitable dishes with appropriate individuals.
There exists an unfair assumption that black people prefer chicken over white people do; this assumption could suggest that Twyla herself is black based on her distress over wasted chicken. However, it is important to acknowledge that not all black individuals enjoy eating chicken. Therefore, Twyla’s frustration may have originated from her personal craving for chicken at that specific moment.
Roberta displayed rude and distant behavior when she met Twyla at the restaurant where Twyla works. Roberta was accompanied by two other men and had a big, wild hairstyle that obscured her face. Despite this, Twyla still recognized her. The large and wild hairstyle resembled an Afro, which is often associated with black people. However, considering the time period of the story (the 1970s) when the Afro hairstyle was popular among different racial groups, it’s possible that anyone could have sported that hairstyle.
Furthermore, while at the restaurant, Roberta mentioned her plan to see Hendrix, referring to Jimi Hendrix, a famous black guitarist. This connection might lead readers to infer that Roberta is black. However, it’s worth noting that Jimi Hendrix’s band was racially diverse and had a wide-ranging audience. Therefore, Roberta’s association with Hendrix does not definitively determine her race; she could still be white because of the band’s diverse audience.
The story ends without revealing which girl is white or black, leaving readers uncertain about their races. This uncertainty highlights the significance placed on race in the narrative.
Bibliography:
Bill Titla At Walt Disney Studios
This paper describes the basic principles of traditional 2D hand drawn animation and their application to 3D computer animation. After describing how these principles evolved, the individual principles are detailed addressing their meanings in 2D hand drawn animation and their application to 3D computer animation. This should demonstrate the importance of these principles to quality 3D computer animation. CR Categories and Subject Descriptors: I.3.6 Computer Graphics: Methodology and Techniques – Interaction techniques; I.3.7 Computer Graphics: Three dimensional Graphics and Realism – Animation; J.5 Computer.
Arts and Humanities – Arts, fine and performing. General Terms: Design, Human Factors. Additional Keywords and Phrases: Animation Principles, Keyframe Animation, Squash and Stretch, Luxo Jr.Early research in computer animation developed 2D animation techniques based on traditional animation. Techniques such as storyboarding 11, keyframe animation, 4,5 inbetweening, 16,22 scan/paint, and multiplane backgrounds 17 attempted to apply the cel animation process to the computer. As 3D computer animation research matured, more resources were devoted to image rendering than to animation. Because 3D computer animation uses 3D models instead of 2D drawings, fewer techniques from traditional animation were applied. Early 3D animation systems were script based 6, followed by a few spline-interpolated keyframe systems.
But these systems were developed by companies for internal use, and so very few traditionally trained animators found their way into 3D computer animation. The last two years have seen the appearance of reliable, user friendly, keyframe animation systems from such companies as Wavefront Technologies Inc., 29 Abel Research (RIP), 1 Vertigo Systems Inc., 28 Symbolics Inc., 25 and others. These systems will enable people to produce more high quality computer animation. Unfortunately, these systems will also enable people to produce more bad computer animation. Much of this bad animation will be due to unfamiliarity with the fundamental principles that have been used for hand drawn character animation for over 50 years. Understanding these principles should also be important to the designers of the systems used by these animators.
In this paper, I will explain the fundamental principles of traditional animation and how they apply to 3D keyframe computer animation. Between the late 1920’s and the late 1930’s animation grew from a novelty to an art form at the Walt Disney Studios. With every picture, actions became more convincing, and characters were emerging as true personalities. Audiences were enthusiastic and many of the animators were satisfied, however it was clear to Walt Disney that the level of animation and existing characters were not adequate to pursue new story lines– characters were limited to certain types of action and audience acceptance notwithstanding, they were not appealing to the eye. It was apparent to Walt Disney that no one could successfully animate a humanized figure or a life-like animal; a new drawing approach was necessary to improve the level of animation exemplified by the “Three Little Pigs”.
The Matrix, The “Western” Never Known
Although not explicitly labeled as one, The Matrix should be acknowledged as a western due to its rich history and various interpretations. This paper aims to investigate the genre’s ability to evolve and flourish in different time periods, including the 20th century, 21st century, or even the distant future. The potential for immense growth and excitement within this genre is remarkable.
This paper will aim to examine the debate surrounding what constitutes a Western, how the Matrix aligns with and alters this definition, and delve into various aspects of the film such as its background (director, producer, film reviews, etc.). Furthermore, the paper will analyze the theme, tone, setting, characters and casting, acting style, lighting, imagery, musical score, and special effects. Genre classification in film can be both challenging and straightforward, as each genre establishes its own set of defining elements.
The challenging aspect is locating a Western movie that truly embodies the genre. The specific definition that will be discussed in this paper is that a Western is a film set in the American frontier west. Usually, the time period is during the mid to late 19th century and early 20th century (Dirks, 1). These movies romanticize the disappearing values and aspirations of the mythical era of the American West (Dirks, 1). However, as time has gone on, Westerns have been redefined, reinvented, expanded upon, dismissed, rediscovered, and even parodied. This actually strengthens the definition, allowing other films to effortlessly fit into this genre.
Old Western films are also said to portray the values of a developing country. The central theme of these movies revolves around expanding and preserving already established territories, constantly highlighting the concept of “Manifest Destiny.” This key aspect will be emphasized again. The films focus on conquering the unfamiliar and displacing indigenous or long-standing populations. Numerous significant conflicts emerge in these classic Western movies.
The most common battle is between good and evil, but there are others such as man vs. man, east vs. west, human vs. nature, or in the case of the Matrix, man vs. machine. The Matrix does live up to these Western ideals in multiple ways. The conflict between good and evil, specifically between man and machine, is clearly shown in the plot. It also resembles the cowboys vs. Indians narrative, but with reversed roles. It is common for the hero to encounter his/her opposite, reflecting their own tendencies towards good or evil.
The notion of time-line and plot location in Western films can be challenged by some movies like Lone Star, set in the late 20th century. Similar critiques can be applied to other Western genre films, like Walker, which feature modern elements like helicopters, Mercedes Benz vehicles, and Newsweek magazines. This level of incorporating different elements is also apparent in films such as the Matrix.
The Cowboys vs. Indians/man vs. machine conflict is a fascinating event that may be challenging to perceive, but once clarified, it is easier to recognize. This conflict is portrayed as Indians vs. Cowboys, as opposed to the usual perception. The cowboy archetype is typically depicted as the protagonist striving to combat the “cruel and uncivilized” Indians and remove them from the American frontier.
The Matrix and American history both exhibit a comparable pattern: the eradication of one group and the dominance of another. In the Matrix, it is the machines who have taken control, eliminating humans. Likewise, in American history, the original settlers multiplied and systematically wiped out the indigenous population through genocide. These parallels underscore the seamless linkage between these conflicts.
When the tables are turned like this, there is an almost palpable identification with the humans (Indians) and a desire for their survival and avoidance of defeat by the machines (cowboys). The presence of gunfights, final standoffs, and riding into the sunset in both scenarios further highlights the striking similarities. In the Matrix, gun battles are abundant and the last standoff between Neo (Keanu Reeves) and Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) mirrors those witnessed in Tombstone and Unforgiven. Similarly, the film’s ending, where Neo soars into the sequel, echoes the iconic John Wayne movies where he rides off into the sunset. These explanations provide significant evidence to support the notion that the definition of “Western” allows for room for modification or, as depicted in the Matrix, “evolution”.
Directors Andy and Larry Wachowski, who also wrote the original screenplay for the Matrix, drew inspiration from Japanese Anime comic books to bring the fictional world of these comics to life. They incorporated camera angles that closely resemble those found in comic books, vividly showcasing the brothers’ boundless imagination. The film showcases groundbreaking special effects, such as the visually stunning bullet-time cinematography and intense fight scenes. Cinematography duties were handled by Bill Pope. Keanu Reeves portrays Neo, a former computer hacker who finds himself thrust into a massive revolution in a post-apocalyptic setting.
Laurence Fishburne portrays Morpheus, the leader of a rebel group operating hovercraft ships in resistance against the machines ruling over Earth. The production of certain scenes varied in duration, ranging from 2 to 16 months. Filming took place in Australia during the summer months. Visually, the entire movie is filmed with a green contrast that symbolizes the dominance of evil forces. This film is excellently executed and captivated me from beginning to end. I am genuinely a fan of the Wachowski brothers, whose exceptional writing contributed to its success.