Maggie is also intimidated by Dee, as shown when Maggie is unable to confront Dee about the quilts. Maggie gives in and says that Dee may have the quilts because she is not Lach 2 used to "winning" (91). Unlike Maggie, Dee is a bold young woman (88). As a young girl, Dee has never been afraid to express herself. Her mother remembers that "she would always look anyone in the eye.
The Mother is a static character who remains unchanged throughout the story. Olsen paints an image of herself as that of a strong and caring Mother with a lot of guilt. The conflict for the Mother is the remorse for neglecting her first born child even though the neglect could not be helped. Olsen states, “I will become engulfed with all I did or did not do, with what should have been and cannot be helped” (290). Emily is a minor character in the story and is the Mother’s first born child.
Prior to Dee’s arrival home, Mama is recalling her recurring dream of how she thinks Dee would prefer Mama to look and act. It is unfair of Mama to assume that Dee would prefer her “a hundred pounds lighter, my skin like uncooked barley pancake” (456). Mama is putting words in Dee’s mouth and intimating that Dee is shallow and critical of her Mama’s appearance. Susan Farrell writes that it is Mama who is “ashamed of her own appearance and very much seeks her daughter’s approval” (1).
(Walker, ) which symbolize an important part of heritage to Dee-while back when she was growing up, she said they were “old-fashioned, out of style”. Besides, Dee thought that Maggie “can always make some more; Maggie knows how to quilt." (Walker, ) and that made her more unwillingly to give the quilts to Maggie. But Maggie-who would use them everyday-said to her Mama to give the blankets to Dee, because she “can 'member Grandma Dee without the quilts. "(Walker, ).
Coree Williams Dr. Clay ENGL 1302-40305 3 November 2013 The Quilts “Everyday Use,” by Alice walker is a story of a mother and her two daughters, named Maggie and Dee. Alice Walker presents to us the different personalities, qualities, and goals in their lives. Dee, the eldest daughter, seems to reject her past, and seems to be caught up in the materialistic things. To her, it seems that her heritage and culture are only acceptable for their artistic appeal. “This character has changed her given name.
Now stop and think about how you should treat your heritage. Do you simply think your heritage is something to just remember, or do you believe you should apply the things inherited from heritage to everyday use? In Alice Walker’s short story, “Everyday Use,” Mama, Maggie, and Dee, three very different characters, have controversy over this topic. Mama is a tough and robust woman, who has worked all her life to provide for her family. Mama’s always had a soft spot for her daughter, Dee, but when Mama finally stands up to her, she sends the message that the things you inherit from your heritage should be applied to everyday use.
Maggie deserves the quilts because they were hers to begin with. “I [Mama] promised to give them to Maggie, for when she marries John Thomas.” (202) As demonstrated on page 202, Maggie clearly already considered them her own. On this page, Walker implies that Maggie overheard Dee asking for the quilts. Her reaction: “I [Mama] heard something fall in the kitchen, and a minute later the kitchen door slammed.” Shortly after, Maggie was standing in the door, scraping her feet over each other while listening to the argument (203). It is implied that Maggie is worried Dee will take the quilts away from her, after all, “‘no’ is a word the world never learned to say to her [Dee].” (196) As Dee “held the quilts securely in her arms,” (202) she probably didn’t expect to have to let them go.
Dee on the other hand says she will appreciate them as a piece of family history, but in reality she wants to hang them on the walls like a piece of art. Dee lives in a demanding, sophisticated way of life as to where Maggie and Mama are still simple and humble and appreciate things for what they are and what they mean to the family. Mama finally stands up to Dee and instead of giving her the quilts like she has always given her everything she’s ever wanted, she tells her she promised the quilts to Maggie and she is not breaking that
She seems like the doting wife, who loves taking care of her children and her husband. We also see she has a childish air about her, that most things do not concern her. The pattern between the three women is they all have been living off someone usually a father figure, and have never been independent for themselves. Every other conversation has her laughing off or shaking her hand like what ever trifle at the time does not mean anything. Because she has a carefree manner, she uses her feminism to attract things that she wants or to get out of trouble.
When they go into the kitchen for something to drink, Dee gets up and starts packing the butter churn that her mother still uses. Mrs. Johnson just lets her be, with out saying anything or trying to stop her. Dee proceeds to go through the chest of her mother’s quilts. When she finds the quilts that her grandmother made, she tries to tell her mother that she is taking them to hang up and display in her home. When Mrs. Johnson tells Dee that she cannot have them because she has already given them to Maggie; Dee gets furious that Maggie could come before her.