Quilts In Alice Walker's 'Family Or Fortune'
Anatoly Kukharets
Interpretive Response #1
Family or Fortune This story to me is about two sisters, one who is loyal but broken, and the other that is carefree and haughty. They each wanted the quilts that their mother was to hand down to them. Quilts that were sewn together by their grandma, and were a literary symbol. They were to be handed down to the next generation family member, to carry on the hardworking and resilient character that they stood for. Dee was the haughty sister. She felt she deserved and was owed anything and everything she wanted. Throughout her life she didn 't get to hear the word No, and it was if it didn 't exist for her, she always got what she wanted. As her sister imagined, "She thinks her sister has held …show more content…
life in the palm of one hand, that "no" is a word the world never learned to say to her." (Walker 460) Given the choice, she would not sacrifice the opportunity of fame or riches over her family. She didnt like where and how she grew up, and was eager to leave as soon as she could. She was ambitious and pretty, unfortunately that didnt allow for a great character and solid foundation to be created within her. On the contrary, Maggie was quite the opposite.
She wouldn 't ever leave her mothers side and was completely loyal to her family, or perhaps feared the possibility of leaving. She was like an injured animal, content with where she was and grateful for what she had. "Have you ever seen a lame animal, 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 them? That is the way Maggie walks." (Walker 461) She accepted the way things were, she accepted the fact that she didnt get the good looks or witty tongue like her sister Dee. Maggie was hardworking and dutiful, much like her mother, and …show more content…
grandmother. These quilts that their grandmother had pieced together by hand, meant alot to both of them, but in different ways. The quilts had been made up of the clothing items wore by their grandmother and grandfather. To Dee, these quilts represented artwork, and skillful craftsmanship that required hardwork and committment. She understood that the quilts contained memories of her grandparents, traditions and family values. She felt she deserved these quilts regardless if she contributed or upheld those same values and traditions. She was more concerned about owning and displaying these pieces of her family, something to remember them by as well. Maggie, however had distinct memories of her grandmother and Aunt, since it was them that taught her how to quilt. These quilts made her memories of her family tangible. Her mother promised her these quilts, since she was the most deserving of the family heirlooms, carrying on the traditions and values of the family. However when Dee insisted that she have the quilts, much "like somebody used to never winning anything, or having anything reserved for her" (Walker 468), Maggie was willing to let Dee have them.
I think their mother was irked by this. "I did something I never had done before." (Walker 468) Their mother finally stood up for her daughter Maggie, she could see the injustice and dishonest way Maggie was being treated. The way her daughter, who stayed by her side, loyal, always yielding, without any expectation of better treatment, just relinquished her rights to the quilts. Their mother finally got the courage to stand up to her "wonderfully created" daughter Dee, and gave the quilts to
Maggie. I think their mother would have enjoyed living a lavish life, without struggle, and she even dreamed about it. "I dream a dream in which Dee and I are suddenly brought together on a TV program of this sort." (Walker 460) Referring to a talk show with Johnny Carson. I believe that 's why she caved in to Dee 's demands, and was supportive of Dee 's ambitious dreams and desires. However, she had decided that she held their heritage and family values in a higher regard to continue to allow such preferential treatment and injustice to continue between her daughters. She embraced her family and heritage, Maggie, and sent the superficial pompous lifestyle, Dee on its way.
Works Cited
Walker, Alice. "Everyday Use." The Seagull Reader: Stories. Kelly, Joseph. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2008. 460-468. Print
Interpretive Response #1
Family or Fortune This story to me is about two sisters, one who is loyal but broken, and the other that is carefree and haughty. They each wanted the quilts that their mother was to hand down to them. Quilts that were sewn together by their grandma, and were a literary symbol. They were to be handed down to the next generation family member, to carry on the hardworking and resilient character that they stood for. Dee was the haughty sister. She felt she deserved and was owed anything and everything she wanted. Throughout her life she didn 't get to hear the word No, and it was if it didn 't exist for her, she always got what she wanted. As her sister imagined, "She thinks her sister has held …show more content…
life in the palm of one hand, that "no" is a word the world never learned to say to her." (Walker 460) Given the choice, she would not sacrifice the opportunity of fame or riches over her family. She didnt like where and how she grew up, and was eager to leave as soon as she could. She was ambitious and pretty, unfortunately that didnt allow for a great character and solid foundation to be created within her. On the contrary, Maggie was quite the opposite.
She wouldn 't ever leave her mothers side and was completely loyal to her family, or perhaps feared the possibility of leaving. She was like an injured animal, content with where she was and grateful for what she had. "Have you ever seen a lame animal, 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 them? That is the way Maggie walks." (Walker 461) She accepted the way things were, she accepted the fact that she didnt get the good looks or witty tongue like her sister Dee. Maggie was hardworking and dutiful, much like her mother, and …show more content…
grandmother. These quilts that their grandmother had pieced together by hand, meant alot to both of them, but in different ways. The quilts had been made up of the clothing items wore by their grandmother and grandfather. To Dee, these quilts represented artwork, and skillful craftsmanship that required hardwork and committment. She understood that the quilts contained memories of her grandparents, traditions and family values. She felt she deserved these quilts regardless if she contributed or upheld those same values and traditions. She was more concerned about owning and displaying these pieces of her family, something to remember them by as well. Maggie, however had distinct memories of her grandmother and Aunt, since it was them that taught her how to quilt. These quilts made her memories of her family tangible. Her mother promised her these quilts, since she was the most deserving of the family heirlooms, carrying on the traditions and values of the family. However when Dee insisted that she have the quilts, much "like somebody used to never winning anything, or having anything reserved for her" (Walker 468), Maggie was willing to let Dee have them.
I think their mother was irked by this. "I did something I never had done before." (Walker 468) Their mother finally stood up for her daughter Maggie, she could see the injustice and dishonest way Maggie was being treated. The way her daughter, who stayed by her side, loyal, always yielding, without any expectation of better treatment, just relinquished her rights to the quilts. Their mother finally got the courage to stand up to her "wonderfully created" daughter Dee, and gave the quilts to
Maggie. I think their mother would have enjoyed living a lavish life, without struggle, and she even dreamed about it. "I dream a dream in which Dee and I are suddenly brought together on a TV program of this sort." (Walker 460) Referring to a talk show with Johnny Carson. I believe that 's why she caved in to Dee 's demands, and was supportive of Dee 's ambitious dreams and desires. However, she had decided that she held their heritage and family values in a higher regard to continue to allow such preferential treatment and injustice to continue between her daughters. She embraced her family and heritage, Maggie, and sent the superficial pompous lifestyle, Dee on its way.
Works Cited
Walker, Alice. "Everyday Use." The Seagull Reader: Stories. Kelly, Joseph. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2008. 460-468. Print