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The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York

A Field of Relations: A Mixed Analysis of Toni Morrison’s “Recitatif” with Voyant, a Text Analysis Tool

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>Several academic and literary articles focus on the claims about identity in Toni Morrison’s posthumously published short story, “Recitatif.” However, few of them offer analyses that approach the function of the story in ways that align with Morrison’s description of it as an “experiment.” Even fewer through tools of text analysis, which is a method of distant reading. In this paper, I provide a mixed analysis of “Recitatif” through close reading and text analysis via Voyant, a digital tool. I concentrate on the recitative device, how it facilitates the message of the story, and how the results may expand the discourse that surrounds “Recitatif” at the experimental level. I then reflect on how the conceptual qualities and functions of the tools I selected from Voyant apprehend Morrison’s short story in ways that not only support discourse, but offer pedagogic value based on how they can be used to explore the meaning and qualities of textual information.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Arts
Level thesis:degree_level
Master
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Digital Humanities
Grantor
The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York
Year dc:date.available
2023

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Neblett, Asma A.
Advisor dc:contributor.advisor
  • Andrea Silva

Subjects

dc:subject × 7

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/5392
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:academicworks.cuny.edu:gc_etds-6495

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
City University of New York - Graduate Center
Base URL
academicworks.cuny.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Neblett, Asma A.. A Field of Relations: A Mixed Analysis of Toni Morrison’s “Recitatif” with Voyant, a Text Analysis Tool. Master thesis, The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York, 2023. https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/5392