Literary Analysis Of Everyday Use By Alice Walker

Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” is a short story that describes a mother and her two daughters that have different personalities. Mrs. Johnson’s daughters, Dee and Maggie, grew up in the same house around the same time but have experienced different lives. Throughout the story, the mother depicts the different personalities and physical features of her two daughters. The traits that each daughter possess are displayed when Dee returns home for a visit. Mrs. Johnson’s older daughter, Dee, is a self-centered woman who believes she is superior to her mother and sister. Growing up, the older daughter was the only educated woman in the house. Being educated, she often read stories to her two relatives without pity. Dee’s mother described her daughter as a pretty individual with a full figure and nice hair. Knowing that her mother bragged about her compared to Maggie, Dee talked down to her mother and sister. The arrogant woman resented her family and the house that they were raised in, until the church and her mother raised enough money for her to attend school. Maggie Johnson, the younger sister, is described as a shy girl that is envious of her sister. When Dee and her friend, Hakim-a-barber, first arrive to the house, Maggie attempts to run toward the house, only to be stopped by her mother. Mrs. Johnson states that Maggie is ashamed of her burn scars
Even though she changed her name, physical appearance, and view on life and heritage, her attitude is still the same. Mrs. Johnson had finally stood up to her daughter, something that she had never done before. Dee was an outspoken and opinionated woman, something that Mrs. Johnson envied in her daughter. Maggie is an unselfish young girl, the opposite of her sister, and was willing to give Dee the quilts. Both the mother and younger daughter possess an appreciation for each other and their