Comaprison between Recitatif and winter dreams Essay Example
In contrast to Morrison, Fitzgerald focused on the importance of time and place in her works. According to Burton, "Fitzgerald produced fiction, not memoirs, so you must be careful to approach the texts on their own terms." Despite this, both authors use similar literary devices in their short stories "Winter Dreams" by Fitzgerald and "Recitative" by Morrison. These stories share themes, imagery, and characterizations that highlight the role of self-contentment in individuals' lives. Both stories feature characters - Dexter Green and Roberta - who struggled with a life that did not align with their expectations. Despite initially enjoying his job as a caddy at a country club, Dexter felt inferior after meeting Judy Jones. In "Winter Dreams", Dexter states, "I don't want to caddy anymore" (Fitzgerald 1) and feels he has outgrown the profession. The story also mentions
...the living conditions of poor caddies while Dexter's father owned a successful grocery store.The protagonist in Fitzgerald's story came from a middle-class background despite his father's ownership of a grocery store. However, working as a caddy for the upper class was seen as somewhat shameful for him because he never truly fit in with their lifestyle. In another story by Fitzgerald, "Receptacle," the character Roberta was placed in a shelter by her sick mother and was unable to read. Similarly, in Toni Morrison's "Recitative," the narrator's mother danced all night and Roberta fell ill, leading to her placement in SST. Ebony's, where she felt ashamed because she was unable to read. Both characters experienced embarrassment in their youth from feeling inferior to those around them. Additionally, both stories use imagery to great effect, with Morrison employing "racial
imagery" that makes it difficult for readers to ascertain the characters' race at times. For example, Roberta is initially described as black but is later seen smoking with two heavily bearded men.
The narrator describes Roberta as having wild and big hair, with earrings as large as bracelets, leading the reader to infer that she is a black character. However, later in the story, she is described as a rich woman dressed in a smart white summer dress with diamonds on her hand, causing confusion for the reader. In "Winter Dreams," Judy Jones also uses a boat to escape from societal expectations of her life. Both authors use similar styles of characterization in their short stories.
Roberta in "Recitative" was considered a round character because her attitude towards Tall continually changes, making it seem like she had never met him before. When Tall met Roberta in Howard Johnny's, she lit a cigarette off the one she'd just finished and said, "We’re on our way to the coast. He’s got an appointment with Hendrix." Later, when they came in contact with each other at a store, Roberta called out her name and had an expression of remembrance, which showed her change in character.
Similarly, in "Winter Dreams," Dexter Green was also a round character. At the beginning of the story, when he was still a middle-class guy, he was not stressed about fitting into Judy Jones' economic class. But as he met Judy Jones, he became worried about acquiring wealth and becoming the perfect guy to please her. This put a lot of stress on him, and his plans did not turn out as he had hoped
for. This shows how Dexter's character changed.
Overall, these stories share similar themes, imagery, and characterizations.In their youth, both Dexter and Roberta experienced unpleasant and uninteresting lives. This is evident in the short stories "Winter Dreams" by Fitzgerald and "Recitative" by Toni Morrison, where both authors employ imagery. Morrison's focus is on "Racial imagery," while Fitzgerald centers on the "Golf Ball." Additionally, both authors use round characterization to develop their characters. Despite Dexter and Roberta's belief that wealth would bring them happiness, it is clear that true happiness cannot be achieved in a fleeting manner.
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