Everyday Use Analysis

One Culture in Two Ways
A short story written in the early 1970s by author Alice Walker, “Everyday Use” is about the conflict between two sisters. When Dee returns home to visit her mother and sister, a conflict arises involving who will keep the family quilts. The sisters grew up together and share the same mother, but in contrast to other children who were raised similarly, Dee and Maggie are complete opposites. Although Dee and Maggie both are appreciative of their culture and heritage, it is evident that the two differ on how they express them whether it is through their personality, appearance, or their beliefs about their family values. Maggie, the younger sister, lives with her mother in a rural area. She is a timid and reserved girl
who was left traumatized after her first home burnt down. Because of this incident, she has burn scars down her arms and legs. She has a low self-esteem and thinks that she is nothing compared to her flawless sister. In addition, Maggie is very self-conscious and simplistic, and this can be witnessed through the way she walks and dresses. She is portrayed as stated, “...her thin body enveloped in pink skirt and red blouse… a lame animal, perhaps a dog run over by some careless person… That is the way my Maggie walks”. When Dee returns home, Maggie is nervous, and she does not want to stand up for herself. On the other hand, Dee lives in the city. She left her home for a higher education, and strongly embraces her culture. She even changed her name to Wangero, and dresses in a style that is very different in comparison to her mother and Maggie. “A dress so loud it hurts my eyes… earrings, too, gold… bracelets dangling… the dress is loose and flows…” is her mother's description of her. Dee is very bold and confident as seen in the way she dresses. She takes it upon herself to dress in a manner that exhibits her African roots. Furthermore, she is demanding and usually gets everything her way. She is not afraid to speak her mind and stands up for herself, but sometimes it goes too far and she appears to be rude and condescending. Dee and Maggie are polar opposites who live completely different lifestyles, but they are both expressive and appreciative of their heritage.
Although Maggie stays quiet and shy, she is very knowledgeable about her family’s history. This is shown when Dee says, “‘Maggie’s brain is like an elephant’s.’”, after Maggie recalls who whittled the dash. She has the knowledge, but Maggie still is not confident like her sister. Dee, a materialistic person, takes the butter churn so that she could put it to decorative use in her household. When she stumbles upon the quilts, she is determined to keep them in her possession. Mama tells her that those quilts will be given to Maggie, thus Dee begins to argue with her. Dee sees the quilts as an artform that should be appreciated through displaying them. Mama insists on giving them to Maggie, which leads to Dee saying, “She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use.” Maggie is practical and would use these quilts. Meanwhile, Dee would hang the quilts up to remember her grandmother. Maggie remembers her family in her heart, while Dee needs items that reminds her of them. In the end, Mama takes the quilts from Dee’s hands to give them to Maggie. Dee, who is furious, storms out of the house. She is mad that her mother does not see the value that she sees in the quilts. Maggie is initially shocked because she was the first priority for once. Maggie is now happy and relieved. In short, Dee and Maggie act differently from each other.
Dee is materialistic and wants to show off, while reserved Maggie is practical and remembers her family in her heart. Nonetheless, they both want to express and appreciate their culture and heritage even if they act upon it in different forms.