Mr. McCane
This short story is about two girls, Twyla and Roberta, who meet at eight years old while living in a shelter. They spent four months as roommates before losing touch, only to cross paths several times throughout their adult lives. Each time reveals how differently they remember their past.
What I enjoyed most was how Toni Morrison deliberately withholds the characters’ races. That omission shifts the burden onto the reader. It’s a brilliant experiment. By the end, I thought I had it figured out. That was until I read a review from a white reader whose interpretation was completely different. That’s when I realized the point of the book. We are being forced to rely on assumptions, biases, and cultural stereotypes to figure out which girl is black and which is white.
This was genius writing! This is the only short story Tony Morrison ever published, and it made me want to work through her entire catalog.
If you’re listening to the audiobook, I recommend reading the story first, then going back to hear the introduction by Zadie Smith. It adds context for sure, but I think you’ll appreciate it more once you’ve formed your own interpretation.
This short story is about two girls, Twyla and Roberta, who meet at eight years old while living in a shelter. They spent four months as roommates before losing touch, only to cross paths several times throughout their adult lives. Each time reveals how differently they remember their past.
What I enjoyed most was how Toni Morrison deliberately withholds the characters’ races. That omission shifts the burden onto the reader. It’s a brilliant experiment. By the end, I thought I had it figured out. That was until I read a review from a white reader whose interpretation was completely different. That’s when I realized the point of the book. We are being forced to rely on assumptions, biases, and cultural stereotypes to figure out which girl is black and which is white.
This was genius writing! This is the only short story Tony Morrison ever published, and it made me want to work through her entire catalog.
If you’re listening to the audiobook, I recommend reading the story first, then going back to hear the introduction by Zadie Smith. It adds context for sure, but I think you’ll appreciate it more once you’ve formed your own interpretation.