Character Analysis of Miranda in "The Grave"
Alex Foster
Robbins
English 1302
1/30/13
Character Analysis In "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker, Mama is a hard working mother who is strong in her roots and ways. The character of Mama in Alice Walker's "Everyday Use" perserveres through tough times and makes the most of what she has. She is (as the story says on page 161) a big boned woman with rough, man working hands, can kill a hog as mercilessly as a man, can work outside all day and break ice water for washing. I love these things about her because I feel like I can relate to that. We are both hard workers and proud of it. Mama is humorous at times and tough at others. She can do it all except raise her daughters while fully understanding them. She seems to favor her youngest, Maggie, more than her oldest daughter, Dee because Maggie is more withdrawn and quiet unlike Dee who is headstrong. Mama says she "often fought off the temptation to shake her." (page 163). Mama is an easy woman to understand and enjoys the simple things in life like "sitting and enjoying the breeze in her yard and how comfortable it is" (page 161) and "just sitting and singing church songs to herself" (page 163) or "milking cows because they're slow and soothing" (page 163). She also has a "quick and witty tongue that not even Johnny Carson could keep up with" (page 161). Mama is also not afraid to say it like it is, she doesn't sugar coat what needs to be said but goes about it nicely, for example, when Dee/ Wangero asks Mama for the quilts, Mama wastes no time in telling Dee that "I promised to give these quilts to Maggie, for when she marries John Thomas." (page 166). Dee gets upset at Mama's reply and storms out and leaves, but Mama isn't really phased much by it, she lets it roll off her shoulders and "asks Maggie to bring her a dip of snuff." then, "the two of them just sit there until it's time to go in and go to bed." (page 167). She's so easy going and I really admire
Robbins
English 1302
1/30/13
Character Analysis In "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker, Mama is a hard working mother who is strong in her roots and ways. The character of Mama in Alice Walker's "Everyday Use" perserveres through tough times and makes the most of what she has. She is (as the story says on page 161) a big boned woman with rough, man working hands, can kill a hog as mercilessly as a man, can work outside all day and break ice water for washing. I love these things about her because I feel like I can relate to that. We are both hard workers and proud of it. Mama is humorous at times and tough at others. She can do it all except raise her daughters while fully understanding them. She seems to favor her youngest, Maggie, more than her oldest daughter, Dee because Maggie is more withdrawn and quiet unlike Dee who is headstrong. Mama says she "often fought off the temptation to shake her." (page 163). Mama is an easy woman to understand and enjoys the simple things in life like "sitting and enjoying the breeze in her yard and how comfortable it is" (page 161) and "just sitting and singing church songs to herself" (page 163) or "milking cows because they're slow and soothing" (page 163). She also has a "quick and witty tongue that not even Johnny Carson could keep up with" (page 161). Mama is also not afraid to say it like it is, she doesn't sugar coat what needs to be said but goes about it nicely, for example, when Dee/ Wangero asks Mama for the quilts, Mama wastes no time in telling Dee that "I promised to give these quilts to Maggie, for when she marries John Thomas." (page 166). Dee gets upset at Mama's reply and storms out and leaves, but Mama isn't really phased much by it, she lets it roll off her shoulders and "asks Maggie to bring her a dip of snuff." then, "the two of them just sit there until it's time to go in and go to bed." (page 167). She's so easy going and I really admire