The Quilts Essay

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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. Dee Johnson, to the superficially more impressive Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo.”(Petry 21) Maggie is the quieter and shy type, and tends to stay at the shadow of her sister while learning how to quilt. “Also, in contrast to her sister, Maggie is selfless and able to put the needs of others above her own.”(Noe 222-223) In the beginning of the story, Maggie is envious of her sister. She is intimidated by Dee, but at the same time she very much admires her sister. “She thinks her sister held life always in the palm of her hand, and that “no” is a word the world never learned to say to her.”(Walker 423) Around Dee, Maggie is ashamed of the burns scars down her arms and legs, and walks funny ever since. Mama is aware of this and describes the posture she’s always in after the fire “That is the way my Maggie walks. She has been like this, chin on chest, eyes on ground, and feet in shuffle.”(Walker 424) While mama waits for Dee’s arrival, she dreams of a time where Dee can finally acknowledge her as a mom and that she can finally understand that she shaped her into the intelligent, beautiful woman that she is today. ”Then we are on the stage and Dee is embracing me with tears in her eyes.”(Walker 424) but she also states that Dee does not like the shape of her body “I am the way my daughter would want me to be: a hundred pounds lighter, my skin like an uncooked barley

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