At the end of "Recitatif," how do both Twyla's and Roberta's exploration of the "truth" of what they had seen at St. Bonny's many years earlier...

The notion of truth is questionable in Toni Morrison's story "Recitatif." At the end of the story, Twyla and Roberta discuss Maggie and the events that occurred at St. Bonny's in what appears to be an honest way. In their discussion, Roberta reveals to Twyla that they never did kick Maggie, the disabled woman at St. Bonny's, like she'd previously told her. Roberta said that they didn't kick her, but she wanted to, and she wanted the Gar girls to hurt her. Twyla tries to tell her that they were just kids, and that's what kids did. However, this confession sheds light on the previous events in the story.

Earlier, Roberta was angry and told Twyla that Maggie was black and helpless, and that Twyla kicked her. Twyla doesn't recall either of those things but Roberta insists it is true. Therefore, at the end, when she reveals that they didn't kick Maggie, and she did believe she was black, it is difficult for the reader to know what to believe. What is clear, however, is that Robert is an unreliable character. She says different things at different times, so Twyla doesn't know which version is true.

This question about truth is a good one because the story revolves around truth and memory. Twyla tries to remember and piece together her past and her life at St. Bonny's, but Roberta's version does not always agree with her own memory of it. This disconnect between the truth and her memory causes much of the conflict in the story.