Roberta's differing memories shake Twyla's confidence in her own recollections and deepen her distrust of Roberta.

Characterization
Morrison employs a unique method in portraying her characters. While it is clear from the beginning that Roberta and Twyla belong to different races, Morrison deliberately withholds which girl is black and which is white. Instead, she provides nuanced descriptions of their views on racially sensitive topics, their social and economic backgrounds, their actions, and their appearances. This approach encourages readers to reflect on their own assumptions about how these characteristics may or may not correlate with race.

Plot
The narrative spans over 20 years, beginning in the late 1950s when both girls are at St. Bonny’s, and continuing into the early 1980s when their children have finished high school. The story is set against the backdrop of mid-twentieth-century history, particularly the pivotal years of the Civil Rights Movement. Specific events in the narrative often align with significant moments in the Movement. For instance, when Twyla and Roberta meet at a Howard Johnson's, Twyla notes that students are traveling south as part of integration efforts. Later, the women clash over the contentious issue of school busing for integration. At other times, the history of race relations is more subtly reflected, such as in the implied segregation at St. Bonny’s.

The narrative unfolds through Twyla and Roberta’s intermittent encounters over an extended period. Each meeting is depicted in detail, while significant events in the narrator’s life, like her marriage, receive minimal attention. The storyline is further developed through the women's discussions and disagreements about the incident in the orchard involving Maggie. This seemingly minor event is reassessed nearly every time Twyla and Roberta converse, and its importance symbolically influences the other conflicts in the plot until the story’s end.

Symbolism
The story's style is realistic, with subtle symbolism woven throughout. For instance, food frequently appears in the plot, symbolizing themes of mothering, nurturing, and abandonment. At St. Bonny’s, Roberta shares her extra food with Twyla, representing the mutual support between the girls. Later, when Twyla’s mother visits, Twyla drops her candy on the floor, which they then eat for lunch. This reflects Twyla’s mother’s inability to meet her daughter’s needs, leaving Twyla both literally and figuratively undernourished. Twyla notes, ‘‘the wrong food is always with the wrong people. Maybe that’s why I got into waitress work later—to match up the right people with the right food.’’ Food not only symbolizes mothering and its absence but also represents the broader theme of the unequal distribution of essential resources. In this context, it is noteworthy that Maggie, a despised and pitied character, works in the orphanage kitchen. Both Twyla and Roberta link her to their mothers’ failures in providing care, as well as to their own tendencies toward unfairness and disloyalty.

1950s: Most children whose parents have died or are unable to care for them reside in institutions. However, since the end of World War II, the use of orphanages has been on the decline in the United States.

1990s: Institutional care has fallen out of favor among childcare experts. Although orphanages still exist in some areas, they have not played a significant role in U.S. child welfare for a decade. Foster care or support for keeping children within their families is now preferred.

1950s: In 1954, the Supreme Court declares racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Black and white children begin attending the same schools in many communities for the first time. This new law faces strong resistance. In 1958, the governor of Arkansas even calls for the closure of Little Rock schools rather than allowing integration.

1970s: Courts rule that "de-facto" school segregation—resulting from segregated neighborhoods and school districts rather than intentional school policies—is illegal. To ensure racial integration, courts mandate crosstown busing in segregated communities across the nation. This often leads to protests and violent incidents.

1990s: Support for busing declines among African Americans, as it has not succeeded in narrowing the academic achievement gap between black and white students. Courts overturn busing desegregation orders, opting instead for more flexible approaches like charter and magnet schools. A study reveals that students are six times more likely to choose a friend of their own race over one of a different race.

1970s: Following a 1967 ruling that state laws banning interracial marriage are unconstitutional, interracial relationships, marriages, and families become increasingly common.

1990s: The number of interracial marriages has tripled since 1967, with over a million biracial families. In 1990, the U.S. Census adds the category "other" to its five existing racial categories. By 1997, there is a push to replace "other" with a biracial or multiracial category.

1970s: Gentrification—where high-income professionals move into and renovate rundown neighborhoods—emerges as a housing trend. While it revitalizes old neighborhoods, it also displaces low-income residents.

1990s: Although the rapid gentrification of the 1980s has slowed, the displacement of poorer residents remains a concern in many neighborhoods.

Sources
Baraka, Amiri. Introduction to Confirmation: An Anthology of African American Women, New York: Quill, 1983.

Furman, Jan. Toni Morrison’s Fiction, Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 1996.

Gates, Henry Louis, Jr. Introduction to Toni Morrison: Critical Perspectives Past and Present, New York: Amistad, 1993.

Schappell, Elissa. Interview with Toni Morrison in The Paris Review, Vol. 35, No. 128, Fall, 1993, pp. 82-125.

Further Reading
Gates, Henry Louis, Jr., and K. A. Appiah, eds. Toni Morrison: Critical Perspectives Past and Present, New York: Amistad, 1993. This comprehensive collection includes reviews and critical essays on Morrison's work by leading scholars in African-American literature.

Jordan, Winthrop. White Man’s Burden: The Historical Origins of Racism in the United States, New York: Oxford University Press, 1974. This concise yet insightful book delves into the origins of racial concepts in the United States and their profound impact on the nation's history.

Taylor-Guthrie, Danille, ed. Conversations with Toni Morrison, Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1994. This anthology of previously published interviews features Morrison discussing her life, work, racial politics, and both American and African-American literary traditions.