This was one of the stories we read that I really enjoyed. I didn't realize until the end though, that you weren't suppose to know the races of the girls.
The story is told through the eyes of a little girl named Twyla, who has just been placed in an orphanage-type home called St. Bonny's. (At first, my mind automatically assumed that that Twyla was white, though it changed back and forth through out the story.) Twyla claims that her mother dances all night and that Roberta's is sick.
I assumed that by "Dancing" she meant partying, or dancing in a club all night.
Roberta is revealed to be Twyla's roommate at St. Bonny's. Upon seeing Roberta, she states that her mother would not like it that she is rooming with somebody of another race. Her mother had stopped dancing long enough to tell her, "they never wash their hair and they smelled funny". The woman that introduces them, Mrs. Itkin (or "the Big Bozo") warns them that if they don't play nice, they won't get to see the movie after dinner. the use of the movie The Wizard of Oz may be used to place the time that the story begins, around 1939.
The girls begin get to know each other, eventually forming close friendship. The girls are reveal that they are the same age, 8, and they're both bad at school. Twyla claims that it's because she can't remember what the teachers said, and Roberta can't read or write.
Twyla says that they weren't close at first, but they hung out because nobody else would play with them. "We weren't real orphans with beautiful dead parents in the sky." she states this as a reason for why the other kids would hang out with them. some of Twyla's neglectful home life is revealed, her mother's idea of dinner being popcorn and a can of Yoo-Hoo.
It's not so bad at St. Bonny's, according to Twyla. Although, the bigger girls tend to bully the younger girls. they older girls are described as teens of 15-16 age range, who wear make-up and were put-outs or runaways.
Roberta has strange dreams about the orchard during her stay at St. Bonny's. She says, "I used to dream a lot, and almost always the orchard was there. Two acres, four maybe, of these little apple trees. Hundreds of them. Empty and crooked like beggar woman when I first came to St. Bonny's but fat wit flowers when I left". She claims that nothing exciting happened in the orchard, and she doesn't know why she dreams about it.
The kitchen lady, Maggie, was pushed down in the orchard once. Twyla knows that she should have helped her up, but she was too afraid of the older girls. Maggie is described as having sandy colored skin and parenthesis legs. she always wears a child's hat with ear flaps. Maggie was also mute, and possibly deaf. Twyla and Roberta used to yell "dummy" at her, to see if she reacts. she never did.
As the days passed, Roberta and Twyla got closer and closer. they were the only ones in the 130 state kids who were dumped and got F's in three classes. They also got along with meals, because Roberta hardly ate anything and Twyla ate for the both of them.
For Easter, Roberta and Twyla's mother's come to visit. the girls prepare, curling each other's hair, and making paper baskets. The chapel is filled with grown ups, some family and some potential adopters. Twyla finds that it isn't as exiting as she thought, when her mother embarrasses her. She wears ugly green slacks and a fur. Coat calling her daughter "Twyla baby". She is further embarrassed when Roberta's mom refuses to shake her mother's hand, to which she replies, "That bitch!" She continues to act up during the sermon, making Twyla wish that she was dead like the other orphan's parents.
Twyla's mother forgets to bring lunch, so they end up eating smashed jelly beans out of the paper basket. She gets jealous when she see's that Roberta's mother had brought proper food. (That Roberta isn't eating.)
In May, Roberta leaves. They spent her last day in the orchard, getting teased by the older girls and breathing in the scents of the apple trees. Roberta promises that she will write to Twyla all the time, even though she can't read or write. By the time that Twyla leaves, memories of Roberta have faded to just her pink-scalloped socks and serious face.
Years have passed, and Twyla now works behind the counter at Howard Johnson's in Kingston. In August, a bus crowd comes in carrying the person Twyla least expected. Now a smoking, lipstick wearing, big haired woman, Roberta comes into the restraint with a few friends. Twyla claims that she "made the big girls look like nuns". After her shift ends, she approaches her old friend. To her surprise, Roberta doesn't greet her the way she expected her to. Twyla begins to feel self conscious about the way she looks in her uniform, while Roberta shares a secret laugh with her male friends. Roberta says that her friend has an appointment with "Hendrix", whom...I think...Twyla mistakes for someone else (She may just be pretending to know.) Roberta replies with, "Hendrix. Jimi Hendrix, asshole. He's only the biggest--Oh, wow. forget it." After more awkward attempts at conversation, Twyla exits.
More time has passed, and Twyla is now married with a son. She states that her life is comfortable and happy, still living in Newburgh. At the check-out counter one day, somebody calls her name. To her surprise, a white summer dress wearing, diamond clad, Roberta greets her. They meet outside, catching up in a friendlier fashion than before.
Roberta now lives in Annandale, a neighborhood of wealthy doctors and executives, married to a widower with four kids.
Twyla says, "I was dying to know what happened to her, how she got from Jimi Hendrix to Annandale, a neighborhood full of doctors and IBM executives. Easy, I thought. Everything is so easy for them. They think they own the world." This could imply that Roberta is white, as this takes place in times of racial inequalities.
They go into a local coffee shop to catch up. While chatting, the subject falls to St. Bonny's and Maggie. Roberta shocks Twyla by telling her that Maggie did not fall down like she thought she did. She claims that the older girls knocked her down and tore her clothes, much to the confusion of Twyla. She reveals that "Big Bozo" was fired, after she had gone back to the shelter twice.
The subject is changed to the last time they met. Twyla asks Roberta why she acted the way she did. she shrugs it off, "Oh, Twyla, you know how it was back in those day: black--white. You know you know how everything is." Twyla isn't sure about Roberta's answer, because she had seen plenty of blacks and whites come into the restaurant together. They leave the café together, promising to keep in touch. Twyla promises to call Roberta, though she knows that she never will. She claims that Roberta messed up her childhood by revealing what she did about Maggie.
That fall, Racial Strife takes over the town. Twyla's son Joseph is being sent across town to another school, though she doesn't seem to care that much. Driving through Hudson one day, she comes across a protest in front of a local school. To her shock, she notices a familiar face, Roberta's, in the crowd. Twyla approaches her, questioning what she was doing.
Roberta's kids are also being sent to another school, and she isn't as nonchalant about it.
At this point in the story, the assumed races of the girls switch. It seems that Roberta is now black, as her kids are being sent to another neighborhood school, and she is for integration. It is possible however, that she could be married to a black man, therefore her step-kids would also be black.
The women get into a fight. as they bicker, the crowd begins to surround Twyla's car. They begin to rock the car, frightening Twyla. When the police come and disperse the crowd, Roberta stays and continues fighting with Twyla. She tells her that she is the same kid she always was, who kicked an old black lady when she was down. Twyla gets angry, screaming that Maggie was not black.
The next day, Twyla goes back to the protest with her own sign. She joins the opposing team, holding a sign that replies to Roberta's sign. Every day, she goes to the protest with a new sign. One day she shows up with a sign that says "IS YOUR MOTHER WELL?" Roberta eventually stops coming to the rallies, and so does Twyla.
Six weeks later, Classes have been suspended leaving Twyla's son with no school to go to. Mothers in the neighborhood begin tutoring their kids, possibly to distract themselves. When her son graduates, Twyla instinctively looks for Roberta in the crowd.
I believe this means that by now, the schools have been integrated.
Twyla is still stressing over the idea that Maggie may have been black. She realizes that she cannot remember. She does remember however, that she really wanted to kick the woman.
The woman meet for the final time just before Christmas. Robert has something important to tell Twyla, who doesn't want to hear it. Finally, the two sit down together and Roberta reveals that she also doesn't remember if Maggie was black, She says that she wanted to kick her, just as bad as Twyla did.
Twyla reassures he that it doesn't matter anymore, they were just kids. The story ends with Roberta saying, "Oh shit, Twyla. Shit, shit shit. What the hell happened to Maggie?"
So, What is so special about Maggie?
I believe that Maggie represented Roberta and Twyla's childhood. They couldn't remember much about their childhoods, but both could clearly remember St. Bonny's. The two were frustrated that they couldn't remember this seemingly simple part of their childhood, thus making them feel as if their bond was broken.
Twyla's mother forgets to bring lunch, so they end up eating smashed jelly beans out of the paper basket. She gets jealous when she see's that Roberta's mother had brought proper food. (That Roberta isn't eating.)
In May, Roberta leaves. They spent her last day in the orchard, getting teased by the older girls and breathing in the scents of the apple trees. Roberta promises that she will write to Twyla all the time, even though she can't read or write. By the time that Twyla leaves, memories of Roberta have faded to just her pink-scalloped socks and serious face.
Years have passed, and Twyla now works behind the counter at Howard Johnson's in Kingston. In August, a bus crowd comes in carrying the person Twyla least expected. Now a smoking, lipstick wearing, big haired woman, Roberta comes into the restraint with a few friends. Twyla claims that she "made the big girls look like nuns". After her shift ends, she approaches her old friend. To her surprise, Roberta doesn't greet her the way she expected her to. Twyla begins to feel self conscious about the way she looks in her uniform, while Roberta shares a secret laugh with her male friends. Roberta says that her friend has an appointment with "Hendrix", whom...I think...Twyla mistakes for someone else (She may just be pretending to know.) Roberta replies with, "Hendrix. Jimi Hendrix, asshole. He's only the biggest--Oh, wow. forget it." After more awkward attempts at conversation, Twyla exits.
More time has passed, and Twyla is now married with a son. She states that her life is comfortable and happy, still living in Newburgh. At the check-out counter one day, somebody calls her name. To her surprise, a white summer dress wearing, diamond clad, Roberta greets her. They meet outside, catching up in a friendlier fashion than before.
Roberta now lives in Annandale, a neighborhood of wealthy doctors and executives, married to a widower with four kids.
Twyla says, "I was dying to know what happened to her, how she got from Jimi Hendrix to Annandale, a neighborhood full of doctors and IBM executives. Easy, I thought. Everything is so easy for them. They think they own the world." This could imply that Roberta is white, as this takes place in times of racial inequalities.
They go into a local coffee shop to catch up. While chatting, the subject falls to St. Bonny's and Maggie. Roberta shocks Twyla by telling her that Maggie did not fall down like she thought she did. She claims that the older girls knocked her down and tore her clothes, much to the confusion of Twyla. She reveals that "Big Bozo" was fired, after she had gone back to the shelter twice.
The subject is changed to the last time they met. Twyla asks Roberta why she acted the way she did. she shrugs it off, "Oh, Twyla, you know how it was back in those day: black--white. You know you know how everything is." Twyla isn't sure about Roberta's answer, because she had seen plenty of blacks and whites come into the restaurant together. They leave the café together, promising to keep in touch. Twyla promises to call Roberta, though she knows that she never will. She claims that Roberta messed up her childhood by revealing what she did about Maggie.
That fall, Racial Strife takes over the town. Twyla's son Joseph is being sent across town to another school, though she doesn't seem to care that much. Driving through Hudson one day, she comes across a protest in front of a local school. To her shock, she notices a familiar face, Roberta's, in the crowd. Twyla approaches her, questioning what she was doing.
Roberta's kids are also being sent to another school, and she isn't as nonchalant about it.
At this point in the story, the assumed races of the girls switch. It seems that Roberta is now black, as her kids are being sent to another neighborhood school, and she is for integration. It is possible however, that she could be married to a black man, therefore her step-kids would also be black.
The women get into a fight. as they bicker, the crowd begins to surround Twyla's car. They begin to rock the car, frightening Twyla. When the police come and disperse the crowd, Roberta stays and continues fighting with Twyla. She tells her that she is the same kid she always was, who kicked an old black lady when she was down. Twyla gets angry, screaming that Maggie was not black.
The next day, Twyla goes back to the protest with her own sign. She joins the opposing team, holding a sign that replies to Roberta's sign. Every day, she goes to the protest with a new sign. One day she shows up with a sign that says "IS YOUR MOTHER WELL?" Roberta eventually stops coming to the rallies, and so does Twyla.
Six weeks later, Classes have been suspended leaving Twyla's son with no school to go to. Mothers in the neighborhood begin tutoring their kids, possibly to distract themselves. When her son graduates, Twyla instinctively looks for Roberta in the crowd.
I believe this means that by now, the schools have been integrated.
Twyla is still stressing over the idea that Maggie may have been black. She realizes that she cannot remember. She does remember however, that she really wanted to kick the woman.
The woman meet for the final time just before Christmas. Robert has something important to tell Twyla, who doesn't want to hear it. Finally, the two sit down together and Roberta reveals that she also doesn't remember if Maggie was black, She says that she wanted to kick her, just as bad as Twyla did.
Twyla reassures he that it doesn't matter anymore, they were just kids. The story ends with Roberta saying, "Oh shit, Twyla. Shit, shit shit. What the hell happened to Maggie?"
So, What is so special about Maggie?
I believe that Maggie represented Roberta and Twyla's childhood. They couldn't remember much about their childhoods, but both could clearly remember St. Bonny's. The two were frustrated that they couldn't remember this seemingly simple part of their childhood, thus making them feel as if their bond was broken.
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