Final answer:
Twyla and Roberta's varied accounts of Maggie in Toni Morrison's 'Recitatif' highlight the selective and subjective nature of memory, influenced by personal biases, social status, and racial dynamics. Maggie becomes a symbol representing the unreliable and reconstructive aspects of memory.
Step-by-step explanation:
Discussion on Different Memories of Twyla and Roberta Regarding Maggie
Twyla and Roberta, the characters from Toni Morrison's short story 'Recitatif', have different memories of Maggie, which can be attributed to the complexities of human memory and the impact of personal biases and experiences on recollection. The varying accounts of Maggie, an enigmatic character who is subject to the girls' remembrances, shed light on how memory can be selective and subjective. Twyla remembers Maggie as a mute who was knocked down in the orchard while Roberta claims that Maggie wasn't mute and was physically assaulted by the girls in the shelter. These conflicting narratives reveal how the same event can be remembered differently and the ways in which our identities, backgrounds, and prejudices shape our memories and storytelling.
The discrepancies in Twyla and Roberta's stories may also stem from the racial dynamics present in the story and their respective social status, leading to the alteration or suppression of certain details. Ultimately, their different backgrounds and personal developments contribute to the differing accounts of the past, making Maggie a symbol of the malleable nature of memory.