1. Activist Feminist TONI MORRISON

2.  The advocacy of women’s rights in comparison to men  Political  Social  Economic ($$$) Equality FEMINISM

3.  1931, Ohio  Parents & Grandmother = storytellers  Motivated Morrison  1 st grade = only child who could read  Class was mostly all Caucasian FACTS

4.  Howard University  B.A. 1953  Cornell University  Master’s Degree 1955  Returns to Howard  Teacher  Writer  Met husband while teaching EDUCATION

5.  Nobel Prize in literature 1993  Pulitzer Prize 1988, Beloved  Presidential Medal of Freedom 2012  Highest civilian award in the US  Awarded by the president 1 ST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN

6. Short Story RECITATIF

7.  ONLY short story published  1983  Confirmation: An Anthology of African American Women  Musical Declamation  Italian: Recitativo  Singer is allowed to adopt rhythms of ordinary speech  Tone/Rhythm specific to any language FACTS

8.  Unique b/c switches b/t NARRATIVE & DIALOUGE  Narrative = story telling  Dialogue = conversation  5 sections: “Episodic Nature”  Episodes  2 lives combined by 5 sections  Characters:  Roberta  Twyla (Narrator) STORY INFO

9.  Never stated  African American?  Caucasian?  They are separated by SOCIAL CLASS $$$$$$$$  Morrison:  Experiment of the removal of all racial codes  2 characters of different races whose racial identity is crucial WHAT IS THEIR RACE?