Morrison intentionally withholds an important piece of information about Twyla and Roberta. Their racial difference is pivotal to the story, but readers don't know which one is white and which is black. How does this affect your experience of reading and your approach to interpreting the story? Find another example where an author withholds significant information about the characters or events of his or her story. Does the strategy have a similar or different effect in this case?

Many readers may have come to conclusions about Twyla and Roberta's race based on descriptions Morrison offers of their situations and characteristics. List the "clues" or "codes" of race from the text that led you to your conclusion. What kinds of descriptions seem to suggest racial categories indirectly? Then look at the story again and see if you can find evidence to make the...