Mothers Influence and Childhood Values in Gorilla, My Love and Recitatif - Essay Example

Mother’s influence and childhood values in ‘Gorilla, My Love’ and ‘Recitatif’ May 23, African American Literature Word count: 1240The two short stories: ‘Gorilla, My Love’ by Tony Cade Bambara and ‘Recitatif’ by Toni Morrison are pertinent in their thematic expression of mother’s influence on young narrators and how they react to their surroundings in their growing up stage. Both the stories highlight the importance of nicknames. The nicknames help develop stronger bond of interpersonal relationship that challenges the predefined concept of racial differences and social norms. Gorilla, My Love reveals children’s trusting nature and how they rely on veracity of the statements and promises made by elders. ‘Recitatif’ showcases the impact of mothers on the children and how it helps to build their character in the long run. Hazel is the protagonist of ‘Gorilla, My Love’ and Twyla is the key narrator of ‘Racitatif’. Both are strong influenced by their mother. Hazel is interesting mix of childish curiosity and strong demeanour that is intolerant of anything that is perceived as wrong and takes up the cudgel to fight for their rights, just like her mother. Hazel’s mother supports her unconditionally in her fight against any injustices. The writer confirms that that her mother ‘come up there in a minute when them teachers start playin the dozens behind colored folks’. She had learnt to fight for her rights, even when the opponents were much older than her! It was quite evident when she confronts theater manager for refund because the movie was not about ‘Gorlla, My Love’ but a religious movie. When she is not taken seriously and does not get refund, she deliberately ‘lit a candy stand on fire’. This reflects Hazel’s strong will and her desire to be taken seriously. Hazel’s shows the same tenacious nature when she is informed that her uncle had changed his name in order to get married. She is upset when Hunca Bubba becomes Uncle Vale which is unacceptable because it challenges the very values with which she was brought up, the values which forbid lying as bad. Moreover, her Hunca Bubba now cannot marry her as because ‘that was somebody else. I’m a new somebody’ (Bambara, 4). Hazel is confused and upset because her beliefs that elders stick to what they say has now been shattered. The way children are not taken seriously and lied constantly on small pretext by elders presents the dilemma of growing up that is probably faced by all children. Twyla’s mother, on the other hand tends to covertly influence her behavior which is reflected when they follow their morals in their growing up stage. Her mother is dancer but constantly shows her affection when she would stop dancing ‘long enough to tell me something important’ (Morrison, 1). Twyla’s natural affectionate self and hard-working profile, are both influenced by her mother’s affection and work ethics. So she looks forward to her mother’s Sunday visit at the shelter. Twyla understands the compulsions that force her mother to take up undesirable work and despite her gaudy attire and uncouth behavior, she is proud of being her daughter. She follows her mother’s work ethics and does not hesitate to take up jobs which may not come under the list of appropriate jobs. But like her mother, she revealed her strong desire to survive with dignity. Twyla does not bear grudges against her mother and though she regrets that she cannot remain with her mother but she is proud because ‘she looked so beautiful even in those ugly green slacks…’ (Morrison, 4). She constantly talks about her mother to her close friend, Roberta at the shelter. Both share their childhood experiences where their mother had played prominent role. Morrison uses Twyla’s narratives as a means of reflection on the ideological differences of the two inmates at the shelter which influences their thinking and their actions. The ‘sick mother’ of Roberta and ‘dancing’ mother of Twyla wield powerful influence on their character. Indeed, the growing friendship and their unique bonding through their mother fixation becomes an important aspect of the story. When Roberta acknowledges Twyla at Howard Johnson but was dismissed without a goodbye, it was a re-enactment of her mother’s behavior on Sunday visit at the shelter when she had refused to acknowledge Mary, Twyla’s mother. The interesting anecdote is important reminder of mother’s influence in their children’s life. Bambara and Morrison, both have taken up the issue of mother-child relationship and written in distinct dialect that informs about the racial background. But the writers have not let the racial differences influence the theme and the unique bonding of mother and daughter cuts across racial and differences. Roberta and Twyla are from different race and color but become friends because of their mothers who were both alive but unable to take care of their daughters. Morrison accurately describes children’s psyche when he poignantly reveals Twyla’s feeling as she informs that nobody at the shelter played with them because ‘we werent real orphans with beautiful dead parents in the sky. We were dumped’ (Morrison, 3). Children become innocent victims who strive to make space for themselves in the real world by adapting to new situations. The use of nicknames by children is not very uncommon but Bambara and Morrison have excelled in using them as a way of expressing children’s in-depth desire to be heard and taken seriously. Hazel bursts into tantrums when she hears that her beloved uncle changes his name, which was actually his real name. She is unsettled because her childish imagination associates changes with treason or something which is not right. She is right but unfortunately she cannot reconcile with the treacherous behavior of elders, especially when they make promises but are not seriously committed to them because the promises were made to the children who are not to be taken seriously! Her revered Hunca Bubba just clarifies that ‘you just a little girl. And I was just teasin’ (Bambara, 4). It is no wonder that Hunca Bubba becomes ‘lying dawg’ because it assuages her tender feeling when she could compare him to a dog! ‘Recitatif’ explores the childhood memories of Twyla and Roberta who were close because they ‘knew what nobody else in the world knew-how not to ask questions’ (Morrison, 4). The accident of Maggie the ‘dummy’ turns out to be a deliberate evil act which they were not able to perceive as such because they were not exposed to hatred. They are still unsure where Maggie was black as Roberta says ‘really did think she was black…. But now I can’t be sure’ (Morrison, 17). Twyla’s feeling undergo instant change as she realizes the horror of Maggie’s accident which was no accident at all. In both the stories, protagonists grow up fast not because they were betrayed by strangers but because someone close to them had lied. While Hazel comes to terms with the lying of her Hunca Bubba, Twyla in Recatatif is shocked at the revelation that what she had believed to be an accident was but an act of hatred. Indeed, while the emotional turmoil helps them to grow-up. But at the same time, the protagonists of the two stories develop distinct character, using their mother as role model. The similarities with their mother had the overwhelming effect which could be seen but not actually realized till later when their children became more important. The authors have brilliantly portrayed the growing up of small girls into replica of their mothers and how their mothers’ influence continues to guide them into their womanhood. Works Cited Bambara, Toni Cade. Gorilla, My Love.1992. Blackboard. June13, 2013 Morrison, Toni. Recitatif. 1983. Blackboard. June 13, 2013 Read More