“Everyday Use” was set during the late 1960s-1970s, a disorderly generation when many black people had been going though extreme hardships and stressed about their next meal. This was the way of life for most African Americans at the time. Most people had no money; having to do everything for themselves to gain recognition that they are important as well. During times of poverty and suffering people understood the meaning of life for what it’s worth. Things were never taken for granted; they treated life a precious diamond that they couldn’t drop because that would shatter their life. In the short story “Everyday Use”, by Alice walker I’ve seen much difference from start to finish with characters changing their outlook on life. In discussing …show more content…
Dee can be characterized as a snobby, superficial, conceited girl. She grows up in a family of hard workers that suffer though many hurdles that have been overcome through much labor. Dee thinks she was always high and mighty because of her education. Everyone at one point in Dee`s neighborhood said she had the most potential; so she went off to school for a better education. She created a life that is fake and unreal to her family. Dee`s false character shows that she doesn’t know herself and what her true feelings are never really show. In the recreation process of Dee; this was a big step for her family to see her again at a big reunion after Dee had finished school. As I read in the book Dee was wearing “a dress down to the ground, in this hot weather. A dress so loud it hurts my eyes. There are yellows and oranges enough to throw back the light of the sun. I feel my whole face warming from the heat waves it throws out. Her earrings that are too gold and hanging on to her shoulders and bracelets dangling and making too much noise when she moves her arms”, (Walker, p.72). The name of Wangero known as Dee gets out of the car wearing a unique outfit like such to be distinctive. Dee’s attempts being normal by making every item back at home seem as if it’s a museum. However, to Mama and Maggie that wasn’t …show more content…
A discussion at first, Dee`s recreation of herself when she gets back from school. Her ways have changed dramatically from going from an ordinary girl to a walking billboard for African American appreciation. By doing this Dee had gone overboard; she never understood the story behind things, she just supported anything without any background or education on the specific outlook of her own background and heritage. By deconstructing Dee`s character we find how unreal and fake she is toward her family, all she cares about are others thoughts to her. The transformation Dee goes though is not a respectable one, she becomes disrespectful to her family because everything she wants, she doesn’t understand the rightful meaning of those pieces she wants in her house. Maggie realized that she really is going to be strong and optimistic for the future, she knows that she is treasured by Mama and forms a bond with her after Dee`s visit. Mama opens her eyes to reality with Dee she knows who is the real daughter now because of how much negativity Dee brought to the family Maggie was the pleasant
The narrator has two daughters, Dee and Maggie. Dee was this cute girl who was super intelligent and sophisticated. She often saw herself as being above her mother and sister and would often make them feel stupid and bad about themselves. "She used to read to us without pity, forcing words, lies, other folks' habits, whole lives upon us two, sitting trapped and ignorant underneath her voice". She shows that Dee enjoyed making her mother and younger sister feel dumb about themselves because it made her feel superior. Her whole life Dee detested her family and where she came from and couldn’t wait to get away. But, still her mother worked her booty off to provide her with high education and a good life. Dee goes away to college and when she returns she is a completely different person, suddenly interested in her family; photographing them upon arrival. With her guest, new "Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo", invades her mothers house taking everything in like it’s a cute display for her. Finally, when Wangero (Dee) demands that her mother give her some quilts, her mum can not take anymore. She tells Dee that Maggie, not her, will be receiving the quilts and she snaps. "I did something I never had done before: hugged Maggie to me, then dragged her on into the room, snatched the quilts out of Miss Wangero's hands, and dumped them into Maggie's lap. Maggie just sat
...sents some discrepancies in how people value their family history. To some, family does not mean much at all but others are very much aware of their ancestors and the traits that they share in common. Some people use this self-awareness to better themselves while others find ways of exploiting it to satisfy their superficial needs. Dee is the type of individual that misuses her heritage. She is using it to fit in and attract the new religious group with which she has begun to associate. Maggie just seems oblivious, although the story does not allow the reader to know what she is thinking. The truth is that Maggie and her mother are living their heritage. This is the lesson that Dee's mother is trying to teach her; to accept and embrace who she is rather than continuously search for something she is not. She could search for her entire life and never be fulfilled.
Maggie relationship with Dee is full of jealousy and envy. Maggie thinks that her sister is better, prettier, and smarter than she will ever be. Because of that, Maggie is shy and intimidated when her sister and her boyfriend come home to visit for the first time in years. Dee on the other hand does not make it any better, because of her jealousy and judgmental ways make Maggie feel unloved and unappreciated. When Maggie is burn in the house fire Dee shows no concern if her sister lives or die. Even their mother knows that their relationship is nonexistent. Dee’s mother said “I used to think she hated Maggie” (Walker 154). Even as adults Dee and Maggie love for one another is arm distance away. Dee feels that her mother and sister are not claiming their heritage and are close minded country
In the beginning of the story, Dee (Wangero) is introduced as someone that needs to be impressed. The narrator has a fantasy about being reunited with Dee (Wangero) (393). She is described as being beautiful and a wonderful daughter with many good qualities. Besides being beautiful, she is confident. Instead of feeling suppressed because of the color of her skin, she is able to look people in the eye (394). Dee (Wangero) is also educated and the way she talks shows it. She is also opinionated and her family is intimidated by it. Dee’s (Wangero’s) qualities are overall good qualities to have, but I feel like she uses them to act better than her family. The fact that she had changed her name to Wangero (397) and demanded the quilts while she was visiting made me feel that she was superficial. She did not even want the quilts when they were first offered to her before she went to college (400). I do not think it is right to change your family name and then come home and request family heirlooms. Dee (Wangero) always seems to get wha...
Everyday Use, a short story about the trials and tribulations of a small African American family located in the South, is an examination of black women’s need to keep their powerful heritage. It speaks on multiple levels, voicing the necessity and strength of being true to one’s roots and past; that heritage is not just something to talk about but to live and enjoy in order for someone to fully understand themselves. A sociological landmine, it was written to awaken the concepts of feminism as well as the civil rights movement, while being able to focus on just three women and their relationship to one another. Everyday Use give its black female characters an identity of their own, each in their own right, and observes the internal conflicts of two sisters who have made two very different life choices, all the while scrutinizing the underlying sibling rivalry between them.
When we meet our narrator, the mother of Maggie and Dee, she is waiting in the yard with Maggie for Dee to visit. The mother takes simple pleasure in such a pleasant place where, "anyone can come back and look up at the elm tree and wait for the breezes that never come inside the house." (Walker 383) This is her basic attitude, the simple everyday pleasures that have nothing to do with great ideas, cultural heritage or family or racial histories. She later reveals to us that she is even more the rough rural woman since she, "can kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man." (Walker 383) Hardly a woman one would expect to have much patience with hanging historical quilts on a wall. Daughter Maggie is very much the opposite of her older sister, Dee. Maggie is portrayed as knowing "she is not bright." (Walker 384)
Dee was coming home to visit her mother and sister for the first time since she left for school, but when she arrived the differences was noticeable. When she first arrived she has on “A dress so loud that it hurts my eyes, there are yellow and oranges enough to through back the light of the sun” (Walker). Dee also brought along one of her friends name Hakim-a-barber, while visiting Dee seen some different items from the past that she would like to take back home with her. She wanted to take with her a churn top that her Uncle Buddy whittled out of a tree and a dasher also but wanted to use them as decoration at her place and not for use so she
While reading this there were some animosity toward Dee because of what type of character she was. The animosity was caused by the numerous comments and actions that occurred in the story. She was very selfish, uneducated, and very unappreciative of where she came from. Dee carried herself in a very ridiculous way. Among Dee’s family she is the object of jealousy, awe, and agitation, meanwhile she searches for her purpose and sense of self. Dee and her judgmental nature has an effect on Mama and Maggie, her younger sister. Although she across as being arrogant and insensitive, Mama sees he strive to know more and do more. Dee also portray as being a condensing type person because no matter where Mama and Maggie lived she still kept her commitment to come and visit. When Dee comes to visit she tells Maggie and Mama that she has changed her because Dee had died when she left for college. Dee changed her name to Wangoero, which come across as being an attention seeking ploy who still keeps the selfishness of Dee. With Dee changing her name to Wangoero she wants to reclaim her heritage and honor
Dee thinks highly of herself because she is academically educated while her mother and sister are not. She flaunts her fortune at her own mother who, along with the church, saves enough money to send Dee to school. She does not even appreciate the sacrifices her mother makes for her on a daily basis. Dee, through a letter, commits to visit Mama and Maggie no matter the rickety accommodations they decide to dwell in (Walker 72). One day when Dee visits her family, Mama and Maggie are shocked to see a stranger exit the vehicle; she is wearing a dress long down to her feet, extravagant gold earrings, and bracelets that makes noise when her arm moves. Her hair is done in an afro with two pigtails wrapped behind her ears (Walker 72). The person they know to be Dee changes her appearance significantly; she even speaks and interacts differently.
In “Everyday Use” symbolism is use a lot times. Dee is one of the main characters. Dee is a symbol of misrepresentation of heritage. As studymode explain to us that “Dee has changed her name to ‘Wangero’ to get closer to her heritages.” Dee changed her name to “Wangero” (718) because she wants to feel closer to her heritage, but her name comes from “Aunt Dicie.”Dee likes to feel better that her mom and her sister. As Voice.Yahoo explains to us “Dee makes the strangers hairdo and tinkling jewelry complete her look.” When Dee was a little girl she likes to feel better the Maggie and Mama Johnson.Dee was symbol of the black power movement. As David white state “walker ...
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.
Dee is shallow and manipulative. Not only does her education separate her from her family identity and heritage, it prevents her from bonding with her mother and sister. If Dee could only push her arrogance aside, she would be able to develop a deep connection with her family. While connecting with her family, Dee would also develop a deeper understanding of her heritage. Maggie and Mama did not give in to the “whim of an outside world that doesn’t really have much to do with them” (Farrell par.1). In the attempt to “fit” in, Dee has become self-centered, and demanding with her very own family; to the extent of intimidation, and
The mother describes her younger daughter, Maggie, as ."..not bright. Like good looks and money, quickness passed her by," and ."..perhaps a dog run over by some careless person rich enough to own a car, sidle up to someone who is ignorant enough to be kind to him...That's the way my Maggie walks." The reader already feels the older daughter Dee, although ."..stylish...with nicer hair and a fuller figure...and full of knowledge" is more like the careless person rich enough to own a car. Although Maggie and her mother make attempts to improve the appearance of themselves and their home for Dee's arrival and seem eager to see her, having no relation to Dee the reader is given no reason to like her. Already Walker is placing value on "slow, self-conscious," Maggie, who plans on marrying and staying close to home, and casting, Dee, who is attractive and cosmopolitan, and could conceivably bring greater resources to her sister and mother, in a negative light.
After all, she was never told no, so in her mind her options for success were endless. Dee grew up being taught the there was no real issue with society, but once she moved away to college, her perspective on the situation changed dramatically. Dee States “I couldn’t bear it any longer being named after the people who oppress me” (Walker, 318). This indicates a sense of remorse towards her family’s heritage and the way she was raised. Furthermore, linking the reason why she changed her name. This action is a rebellion towards her heritage and her family’s morals, as it is taking the very essence of their history and rewriting it to claim ignorance on the fact that this poverty induced lifestyle never happened. Although agreeing with Dee on certain situations, I’ve come to the conclusion that you should not step out of your heritage. This could cause you to lose your path and ultimately isolate you from your family’s history. Agreeing on the aspect of higher education, this puts Dee in a strange position in the story. She is not liked because of her ignorance towards her heritage, yet she has a way about her that is compelling to the audience. In “My Dungeon Shook” it states that “The details and symbols of your life have been deliberately constructed to make you believe what white people say about you” (Baldwin, 2). This statement supports the idea that Dee/Wangero changed her name because of what white people said about blacks and their lifestyle. Though afflicted by change, Dee wants to keep something to remember her heritage; she wants to be a part of the history without participating in the actions and lifestyle of her
"Everyday Use" is a short story written by Alice Walker. Walker did a wonderful job illustrating her characters. There are all types of characters in this short story from round to static. Her use of simple symbolism prompts the reader to take a deeper look into the story. Walker’s humble way of conveying the theme makes the reader take a second look at him or herself. Walker did an excellent job in writing this story, so she could warn people of what might happen if they do not live properly.