Encounter at the Howard Johnson

It was particularly striking to myself as a reader, when I reached the scene where Roberta and Twyla interacted at the bus station outside the Howard Johnson. Throughout this short story, it is quite impressive how Toni Morrison chooses to not reveal the race of each character. However, upon analyzing this scene, however, it is my belief that Morrison implies Twyla to be the black woman. During this scene, when Twyla approaches Roberta after several years apart, it is evident that Roberta believes herself to be of a greater importance. Morrison highlights this idea when comparing Roberta to the big girls with the makeup of whom, as children, Twyla and Roberta characterized those girls as persons' of greater status. I find this to reflect the racial stereotypes of this time, in which white people thought that they were better than everyone else and were plainly superficial. Although Morrison never truly specifies which woman is which, I find it interesting that several years later when Twyla acknowledges Roberta's superficial attitude at the bus station, she merely responds by saying "it was a different time back then" implying that racial division and racism were clearly evident during this encounter. While Morrison leaves this interpretation up for discussion, I believe it is important to acknowledge how skillful a writer she is, since many do believe the opposite of my beliefs. I further believe this embodies the style of her writing, as it portrays that the past/ any scene of one's past can be reflected on differently for each and every person.