Tale of a Dysfunctional Family

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Even though Dee and Maggie are sisters, they have very different opinions about how the world is. Dee moved away from the county to live in the big city, whereas Maggie still lives with their mother. Dee has also gotten her way and expects it from her family constantly. She's a very attractive, educated, and successful young woman and radiates confidence. Maggie has always been sheltered by her mother and is very shy and introverted. A fire that happened around twelve years ago has left Maggie's body scarred and her confidence crushed. She's unable to look people in the eyes and shuffles about when she walks. Maggie was also not given the same opportunities as Dee and is uneducated. Dee and Maggie's differences in education, personal style and interpretations of their African heritage make it a struggle for them to have a close relationship with one another.
Dee and Maggie are very different in terms of knowledge and education and this makes it hard for them to relate to each other. Mama tries to make Dee happy by raising money through her church so Dee can go to school in Augusta. Whenever Dee comes home, however, she uses her newfound knowledge to intimidate and belittle mama and Maggie. She reads to them " without pity: forcing words, lies, other folk's habits, whole lives upon [them] , sitting trapped and ignorant underneath [her] voice" (Walker 168). Mama was unable to have an education after 2nd grade because her school closed down and she never had a desire to pursue further knowledge. She is always proud of the fact that she can do a man's job and enjoys working on the farm in the hot sun. She can "kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man" (166). Maggie also never receives a formal education, but ca...

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...p and their mother's blunt honestly towards their weaknesses, Wangero and Maggie have become very different individuals. The fire and the special opportunities provided to Wangero have made the two sisters unable to relate to each other. Maggie has always felt that Wangero's life has been an easy road and is often jealous of her. Wangero has always felt superior, that Maggie and mama were beneath her because they were uneducated and did not value personal style. Although Dee and Maggie are complete opposites, they still love each other, but their solid differences and their mother's brutal honesty will always keep them in a dysfunctional relationship with one another.

Works Cited

Walker, Alice. "Everyday Use." Rpt. in Thomas R. Arp and Greg Johnson. Perrine's Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense. 11th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2012. 166-173. Print.

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