Maggie And Dee In Alice Walker's Everyday Use

An Evaluation on Maggie and Dee “ Everyday Use.”
In “Everyday Use,” Mama illustrates the relationship between her two daughters. Both Maggie and Dee are like opposite poles, making it seem like their relationship is non-existent. Dee is a well-educated, good-looking young woman; who is so concerned with style, and fashion that she lacks the meaning of family and heritage. Maggie, however, is a simple, scarred young girl who truly understands the meaning behind family, and heritage. In “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker demonstrates through Mama’s eyes, the strain in Maggie and Dee’s relationship through Maggie’s actions towards her estranged sister’s visit, and Dee’s remarks and dominance over her younger sister.
Right off the bat, Maggie’s actions start to illustrate her feelings towards Dee’s visit. Mama sees Maggie is nervous as she awaits Dee’s arrival. Mama knows that through out her eldest daughters visit; Maggie will “stand in corners homely and ashamed” (Walker 315). It is very clear by the way that Maggie attempts to run back inside the house when Dee pulls up; that she wasn’t looking forward to this visit. Her fleeing

attempt demonstrates how much she tries to avoid her sister’s intimidation. Maggie sees her sister in awe, and thinks that Dee has “held the world in [her] palm” (Walker 315). Maggie knows that she is not as good as Dee; she does not have the beauty, the education, and the experience that Dee flaunts when she arrives. No matter what in Maggie’s eyes, Dee will always oppress her; Dee will always be better than her.
Dee’s education has made her think of herself above everyone else, therefore she feels like she has the right to make remarks about her less fortunate sister. Dee sees Maggie as a clueless child because she lacks education, and experience. During her visit, she insults her sister, by telling Hakim-a-Barber that “Maggie’s brain is like an elephant’s” (Walker 319). With this remark, Dee demonstrates how much she belittles Maggie, and her opinions. Dee also reveals how she thinks about Maggie when it comes to the use of her family’s heritage. Dee wanted to hang the quilts that Mama, and Big Dee quilted by hand, as an art piece. Dee’s plans defeated the purpose of the quilts; Mama had “been [saving the quilts] for long enough” (Walker 320). Mama intended these quilts to be for everyday use. At the end of her visit Dee mentioned to Maggie “you ought to make something of yourself” (Walker 321). According to Dee, Maggie would never understand their heritage as much as she did, because of the way she lived.
Through out the visit, Dee conveys her dominance and oppression over Maggie. Maggie portrays a sense of forbearance when Dee comments “Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts” (Walker 320). Maggie is so used to Dee getting her way that she tells Mama that Dee can have the quilts. Maggie is “somebody used to never winning anything, or having anything reserved for her” (Walker 321). Everything has always been about Dee; “ “no” is a word the world never learned to say to [Dee]” (Walker 315). Dee has intimidated, and oppressed Maggie through her dominance, restraining her from expressing and defending herself.
“ Most critics see Dee’s education and her insistence on reading to Mama and Maggie as further evidence of her separation from and lack of understanding for her family identity and heritage” (Farrell par.10).

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

oppression.
With Dee’s, and Maggie’s actions toward each other, one can conclude that their relationship is strained. If Dee really cared for her family and understood her heritage, she would try to preserve what little she has left. Instead she pushes it away with her arrogance, and shallowness; in the process, Dee refrains herself from further developing a relationship with Maggie. This goes to demonstrate that just because someone doesn’t have the same education that other have, one should not belittle him/her. It also shows that just because someone has an education, it does not mean that he/she fully understands the meaning of family, and heritage.