In Morrison's short story, "Recitatif," does it matter when the story took place, or where?

The setting of Toni Morrison's short story, "Recitatif" is
particularly important, especially in that—over time—it changes, reflecting the way the
world changes around the two main characters.

The
"movement" of the story comes from its "episodic nature"—from the time Twyla and Roberta
meet in the orphanage, until the end of the story, which is the fifth of five " title="vignettes"
href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vignette">vignettes" or
short scenes. As children, the lives of the two characters fall into a rhythm which is
lost on occasion, but then returns.

The girls, Twyla and
Roberta, are both left at St. "Bonny's." Neither of them are orphans. Twyla's mother is
a dancer and does not take good care of Twyla. Roberta's mother is "sick." Being thrown
together at St. Bonny's (St. Bonaventure) enables the two eight-year olds to form an
unusual alliance between a black and white child when society still did not accept such
things. At St. Bonny's, however, the girls are generally able to avoid these problems.
One thing bothers Twyla: Maggie, the kitchen helper once fell in the orchard. They
didn't help her, and it bothers Twyla. Some time later, the girls both leave St.
Bonny's.

The next time they meet, the girls are likely in
their late teens or early twenties. Twyla works at a Howard Johnson's restaurant/rest
stop. The setting has changed, and it seems Roberta has as well.
She is insulting and dismissive toward her black
friend.

However, when they meet again, both have married
and become parents. They run into each other at the grocery store and the "old" Roberta
is back. They stop to have coffee and it is as if no time has passed: Twyla and Roberta
share memories and many laughs. The rhythm of their relationship
has been restored.

When Twyla and Roberta cross paths next,
they are on opposite sides of a picket line, where Roberta and other mothers are
protesting " href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desegregation_busing_in_the_United_States">busing."
Here the two women are on opposite sides of segregation. When they finally speak, the
racial lines have been drawn and they seem to have lost their connection again.
Ironically, the very change of setting and circumstances that alters the motion of their
relationship creates a new movement as they try to learn to
maneuver around the racial divide. It is at this time that Roberta recalls memories of
their days at St. Bonny's. Maggie was the brunt of abuse by others, and Roberta tells
Twyla that she was black and that they were both abusive to her.
Twyla does not remember this and struggles to come to terms with the
information.

Their last meeting is at Christmas. The women
stop to chat and Roberta corrects the details of their previous conversation. Maggie
wasn't black—but by now, the theme of racism is put to rest
here—for that doesn't matter to the old friends now, showing how
they've "grown." Twyla still wonders why they never stood up for Maggie and is ashamed
of their behavior. They admit that Maggie was someone they were too young to help
then. Over the years, we have seen them come to terms with things
they could change, and how they were able to finally find peace
between them.

The changes of the setting mirror the
transformation in the women—their struggles to adjust their relationship with the
changing times. This struggle alters and even mimics the motion of change in life,
especially at this time in history. Where the story takes place,
and when, is the very backbone of this tale. Twyla and Roberta
represent many other whites and blacks, looking for balance as the face of America was
transformed.