The Evolution of a Relationship

Toni Morrison does an excellent job conveying the long-lasting relationship between Twyla and Roberta. When analyzing this short story overall, I find it quite interesting to view the evolution of their friendship. At a young age, it was evident that the two young girls had much in common, as Twyla and Roberta were the only two girls at St. Bonny’s whose mother’s were still alive. Although they arrived at St. Bonny’s for different reasons (One mother ill, the other always dancing), It is my own belief that this parallel united, particularly in an orphanage where the majority of children have lost a parent. As the two women grow older and set apart to develop their owns lives, it is intriguing to see the vast difference between the two character’s interactions. Who was once a best friend is now an acquaintance. At this time I believe that racial identity was a large portion of why they grew apart, particularly because in their young adulthood, racism was an everlasting problem that suppressed black people all across America. However, I also believe that in both Twyla’s and Roberta’s adolescent years, they both were shielded from this racial inequality, and when each woman discovered the real world, the author felt the need to show each woman's true colors. For Roberta, she felt superior to the world like the big girls in makeup. For Twyla, she was content with who she had become regardless of who she had become when with Roberta. I believe that the moment that Twyla and Roberta run into one another at the grocery store could parallel the times when they would be foolish together at St. Bonny’s. It is evident however that Twyla becomes increasingly uncomfortable because she recognizes that the relationship she has now is so far from what they had at St. Bonny’s. Both characters are aware of this growing apart, however, they still find their ways to see one another whether on good terms or bad. For these reasons, I believe Morrison wished to convey the theme that as societal norms evolve, relationships among friends, colleagues, or loved ones are too evolving, leaving both damage and hope between certain people.