A Comparison Of Maggie And Dee In Everyday Use By Alice Walker

The comparison of characters is something an author allows us to do while reading a

story, by telling us about the characters’ looks, their personalities, their lifestyles, and also the

traits that may describe a character. “Everyday Use” written by Alice Walker, two characters

named Maggie and Dee had a few things in common and many differences from each other. The

characters Maggie and Dee, also known as “Wanergo,” are sisters who compete on who inherits

the family heirlooms. The story is told from the mother’s (Mama’s) point of view. Throughout

the story Mama describes both of the girls and how she feels about their differences, even though

they are sisters and grew up in the same house. Maggie and Dee are different in their

These items are part of Maggie’s

wedding present, and she is connected and grounded to the part of herself and her family heritage

which created them. Maggie and Dee are also alike in their tempers, although it takes much more

to get Maggie angry than Dee. Dee is used to being deferred to and getting what she wants. She

is beautiful and smart, and she takes matters into her own hands when they are not going her way

(take the burning of the house she hated which scarred Maggie for instance). Maggie is not used

to getting her way since her sister was always in the spotlight. Maggie did not go to school, does

not dress in colorful attention-getting African garb, and does not have a fancy boyfriend, but she

does slam a door which indicates her feelings about the quilts and butter churn her sister has

come to claim out from under her feet. The temper has flared, and Maggie gets her quilts.

In conclusion, the story seems to tell how different Maggie and Dee were from each

other; with few comparisons between the two girls to suggest that they had anything in