Everyday Use 'And Good Country People By Flannery O' Connor

A Daughter's Rage

“Everyday Use” by Alice walker and "Good Country People" by Flannery O' Conner, both depict daughters who do not have a close relationship with their mother or family. In "Everyday Use" Mrs. Johnson's eldest daughter Dee-Wangero is coming to visit her and Maggie who is her youngest. When Dee arrives she is different than when they last saw her. Dee comes in like a tornado demanding things so she can put them on display instead of putting them to "everyday use" (748). However, Mrs. Johnson finally gets tired of Dee and her lack of respect and stands up to her for her and Maggie's sake. Meanwhile, in "Good Country People" Joy-Hulga is a thirty-two year old who is highly educated and views the world in a bitter and negative light

These two protagonists’ similar motives for their lack of closeness is because of the lack of understanding and communication between both mother and daughter. Joy-Hulga’s relationship with her mother Mrs. Hopewell consists of snide remarks and often time isolation. Nevertheless, in the story the lack of communication between Joy–Hulga can be seen when she locks herself in the bathroom (O’Connor 187). Joy-Hulga becomes so enraged with her mother at one point and ends up telling her to learn to accept her for who she is (O’Connor 190). Consequently, she further wrecks the daughter and mother dynamic; this adds to Joy-Hulga’s frustrating ordeal of trying to escape her mother’s unwillingness of accepting her. Furthermore, Dee-Wangero’s relationship with her mother and sister is very strained. Throughout the story you can see Mrs. Johnson’s resentment towards Dee-Wangero. Dee-Wangero’s persistence in trying to teach her mother and sister and lack of respect for her family’s heritage also cause a gap between her and Mrs. Johnson. Misunderstandings play a role in their relationship, for example, Mrs. Johnson used to think that Dee-Wangero hated her and Maggie (Walker 744). However, according to Susan Farrell, “elsewhere, as well, we see that Mama is often wrong about her expectations of Dee and her readings of Dee's emotions” (1998). However, the slight fear that Dee-Wangero instills in Mrs. Johnson hindered them from a normal relationship because no mother should fear their