In the short story “Everyday Use” the author, Alice Walker, wants the readers to believe that Dee is the antagonist. Although this is true, after the readers go back over the story and even read it again, they will find that all Dee is trying to do is better herself. Mama, the narrator, is a sympathetic character, because she shows sympathy towards Maggie throughout the short story. Mama’s gender, values, age, motivation, and sympathy all play a big role in the story and and take a part in the main conflict between herself, Dee, and Maggie. The narrator, which is mama, is an African-American woman who grew up in the early twentieth century. She tells the audience, in great detail, about how hard she had to work during her childhood and on into adulthood. In the story mama states, “I am a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands. My fat keeps me hot in zero weather. I can work outside all day, breaking ice to get water for washing.” She makes a point to tell the readers these things about herself to show how proud she was. Since Mama …show more content…
In the short story, Dee wants quilts that her grandmother hand stitched just because they will look good hanging in her house, but she does not have an attachment to them like Maggie. Maggie, on the other hand, values the quilts because they represent her grandmother’s African-American culture (or so mama says). Really mama had already promised Maggie the quilts for when she marries John Thomas. Dee was very upset when mama told her this. Dee’s remark was, “Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts! She would probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use.” Of course after this is said Mama immediately takes up for Maggie in sympathy. Mama is holding a grudge against Dee because she went to college and is trying to better herself. This is why Mama is not considered a reliable
In the short story “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, Dee becomes angry with her mother because she won’t allow Dee to take quilts that she had already promised she would give to Maggie. I do not believe this feeling is justified one bit. The mother sent Dee to a school in Augusta for her to be happy since their house burnt to the ground, that must have been expensive; when Dee comes to visit is seems as if she has changed. Dee seems to be very unappreciative. Mama tells Dee that she has already promised Maggie they could be hers then asks “Why don’t you take one or two of the others?”(Walker160). Dee blows up on the narrator. She could have just told Dee that she could not have any quilts at all and also, Dee did not give a good enough reason for her to have the quilts instead of
There are many examples of symbolism in Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use.” Whether it’s representing Mama Johnson, Dee or Maggie. Even everyday household objects. Symbolism is used to express or represent ideas or qualities in english, art, mathematics, science,etc. In many ways symbolism can be used to represent an idea that means more than the literal meaning.
In the story, it states, “‘These are all pieces of dresses Grandma used to wear. She did all this stitching by hand. Imagine!’... ‘Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts!’ she said. ‘She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use.’ ‘I reckon she would,’ I said. ‘God knows I been saving ‘em for long enough with nobody using ‘em. I hope she will!’ (Walker 320). This quote explains how Dee believes she should have the quilts made by her grandmother because her sister would put them to everyday use. Dee believes that the quilts are so valuable to her heritage that they needed to hang the quilts, treating them like foreign objects, in order to appreciate their value. Conversely, the narrator believes that their heritage would be appreciated by using how they were intended to be used, which is why she later decides to give the quilts to Maggie instead of Dee. This creates a very evident conflict between Dee and the narrator as a result of different interpretations of
Maggie is nervous and intimidated by Dee, who, in turn, is bold and selfish. Maggie values the sentiment of the family quilts, while Dee wants to display them as a symbol of her heritage. Dee wanted the quilt just she can have something to show her background, but at the same time Maggie is nervous to tell Dee how she really feel about her taking that partial quilt. So mama offer her and other quilt because she believes that Maggie will honor the quilt more and not to just to use it as an item to decorate her house. After all the back and front about the quilt Dee is determined to get the quilt, it wasn’t sitting right with mama in the story it stated” Mama looks at Maggie, she is struck by a strange feeling, similar to the spirit she feels sometimes in church”. Overall, dee just want the quilt so she can boast to her friends about her heritage.
“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, is a story of a black family composed of a mother and her two daughters: Maggie and Dee. Walker does an excellent job illustrating her characters. There are all types of characters in this short story from round to static. Dee is a flat character, yet Walker uses Dee’s character to warn people of what might happen if they do not live properly. Walker describes Dee’s character as arrogant and selfish, and through Dee’s character one is allowed to perceive the wicked effect of an egotistical world.
...made for, she no longer offers much imagery to the reader. The story comes to an end as the mother reminds Dee that she was once offered the quilts and refused them because she thought they were "old fashioned and out of style" (880). She also turns the table on Dee by snatching the quilts out of Dee's hands and dumping them into Maggie's lap. She tells Dee to get a couple of the other quilts, and with that said, Dee storms out.
She hears that Dee tells Mama that she is going to put the quilts to “everyday use”, but she does not seem too upset about it. In addition, Maggie does not seem too upset because she knows she can make another quilt. Maggie has been with Mama her entire life, and has already learned how to quilt from Mama, her grandmother, and Aunt Dee. An indication in the story is, “I can ‘member Grandma Dee without the quilts”(321). Maggie knows the history that the quilts have and Dee does not understand the family, as Maggie
She becomes upset because she can feel the disappointment in Maggie’s heart. Dee says “Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts….She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use” (Walker 1014). Here Mama feels a sense of confusion, because as said before Mama gave Dee an opportunity to receive one if not both of the quilts and she said she wasn’t interested in the quilts. The audience can almost feel the sense of confusion by Mama when Dee makes that statement, because Mama wants the quilts to be used. When Mama hears Dee say that she replies with “I reckon she would….I hope she will!” (Walker 1014). Mama’s feeling are completely uprooted and she was firm on giving Maggie those quilts. After all Grandma Dee and Big Dee taught Maggie how to quilt in the first place. Mama knows these quilts belong to Maggie, so she instilled in herself and gave the quilts to Maggie. Mama knew she had done the right thing and she knew they would be taken care of and
“Everyday Use” is a short story written by Alice Walker that tells of two sisters and their heritage. Walker describes the two sisters as different throughout the story. Dee is the older sister who has always gotten what she wanted and has changed her name to Wangero to honor her heritage; conversely, Maggie is the younger sister who has always given up what was hers to keep Dee happy. Though these characters are sisters, Walker quickly lets the reader know that they are nothing alike. Dee’s feelings and interactions demonstrate her selfishness, while Maggie’s actions and interactions prove how selfless she is. Walker uses these traits to highlight the differences between the sisters throughout the story.
... attempts to change the way Mama and Maggie perceive tradition by using the quilts as a wall display. Mama refuses to allow it, Dee was offered the quilts when she was in college and didn’t want them at that time. Mama gives the quilts to Maggie as her wedding gift to be used every day as they were intended, knowing how much Maggie appreciates them. I agree with Mama and Maggie for keeping family memories and objects in daily use. It is important to maintain your family history in your everyday life to preserve those special memories.
Walker communicates through Dee that Maggie “ ‘probably be backward enough to put them [the quilt] to everyday use’ ” (82). This portrays Maggie as a rural character, who owns the minimal and uses all her belongings as an instrument to help in survival. For her, the quilt is a form of cover. Also, that fact that this dialogue is coming from Dee shows that Dee is very inconsiderate of other’s feelings and disrespectful to her sister, and rudely snatches the quilt for the purpose to “ ‘hang them’ ” (82). The reality that Dee wants to hang the quilt shows that Dee would want the quilt for the purpose of decoration. This shows her value of tradition, which she believes should be showcased, rather than lived. It also tells that audience, as stated earlier, that Dee prioritizes fashion and showcasing. Another example of Maggie being a foil is that Maggie is a character that “stand[s] helplessly in the corners, homely, and ashamed” (77). This uncovers the lack of confidence in Maggie, who is still not completely over the trauma of her house burning down. Maggie is a character who is defeated and ashamed of herself, clearly lacking self esteem. Because of this, the audience starts to sympathize for Maggie, who has lost herself somewhere in the fire that burned down their house. This is the exact opposite of Dee herself, who is “determined to stare down any disaster in her efforts” (79). This
In every family there seems to be a child that is bestowed with all of the positive aspects of her parents. Unfortunately, for every perfect child there is, it seems that there is one child that is less talented and less beautiful. In the short story, "Everyday Use", these two character descriptions fit perfectly in relation to the characters of Dee and Maggie. Dee is the gifted and beautiful child, whereas Maggie seems to have been left behind by the gene pool and luck. In her short story, "Everyday Use", Alice Walker utilizes language, the tragedy of the fire burning down Maggie's family's house, and her portrayal of Dee to pain an extremely sympathetic portrait of Maggie.
In the short story “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker tells the story about a girl named Dee that moves away from their rural life to attend college. After returning home from college, Dee faces conflict with her mother and sister due to the change in lifestyle Dee has become accustomed to. Throughout the story, Walker introduces characters important to the story and adds character history to help the audience understand the conflict between the characters. Because each character is different and has their own personal experience, conflict arises in the short story. In the short story "Everyday Use," Alice Walker develops the story by using characterization, conflict, and symbols to show
In Alice Walker's short story "Everyday Use" Mama is the narrator. She speaks of her family of two daughters Maggie and Dee. Through the eyes of two daughters, Dee and Maggie, who have chosen to live their lives in very different manners, the reader can choose which character to identify most with by judging what is really important in one’s life. Throughout the story three themes consistently show. These themes show that the family is separated by shame, knowledge, and pride.
The story 'Everyday Use', written by Alice Walker, is a story of heritage, pride, and learning what kind of person you really are. In the exposition, the story opens with background information about Dee and Maggie's life, which is being told by Mama. The reader learns that Dee was the type of child that had received everything that she wanted, while Maggie was the complete opposite. The crisis, which occurs later in the story, happens when Dee all of a sudden comes home a different person than she was when she left. During the Climax, Mama realizes that she has often neglected her other child, Maggie, by always giving Dee what she wants. Therefore, in the resolution, Mama defends Maggie by telling Dee that she cannot have the household items that she wants just to show others, instead of putting them to use like Maggie.