Maggie in Alice Walker’s short story “Everyday Use” plays the role of being the nervous and ugly sister of the story, however she is the child with the good heart. Maggie was nervous ashamed of her scars “Maggie was nervous… she will stand hopelessly in corners, homely ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs”. Living in a house with a pretty sister and being the ugly sister with scars could be the reason why she picked up on a timid personality, being ‘ashamed’ of her own skin shaping her in a way that she degraded herself from everybody else. Maggie was not this way before the fire, her mother stated, as it is quoted that she had adopted to a certain walk ever since the fire. She now walked looking down looking down as she shuffles
Maggie Lena Walker (Draper) was born to Elizabeth Draper & Eccles Cuthbert on July 15, 1867 in Richmond, Virginia. Born a daughter of a former slave. When Maggie was younger she used to always help her mother run a laundry in Virginia. Maggie was put in a wheelchair soon after she died from complications of her diabetic condition .She died December 15, 1934 in Richmond, Virginia.
Maggie L. Walker, an African American woman who lived in the 1800 hundreds, she was a woman that would fight for anything that she believed in. Walker was an activist who brought social change to other African American slaves. Maggie Walker was the first female president ever to own her own bank, she worked to help run down charities, and she was an Activist. Maggie Lena Draper also known as Maggie Lena Walker was born on July 15, 1864 in Richmond virginia. Her parents names were Elizabeth Draper, who was the former slave and cook for Elizabeth Van Lew.
In the beginning of the book Maggie mentions a scar she received after her father left her with her brother alone to go buy cigarettes. She was burned with a hot pot of beans. To her, this action by her father was neglect. She states, “But I wasn’t like my brother. I couldn’t let things go” (Rash 31).
Maggie I remember her like yesterday, with her long, flowing brown hair that was as soft as a pillow, and chocolate brown eyes that make you melt when you meet her gaze. She had a smile that would shine like diamonds, and eyes that sparkled with innocence and hope. She had a laugh that was like the chiming of bells; a personality that was as attractive as a flower.
Maggie is an extremely reserved girl who has an older sister named Dee. " Dee is lighter than Maggie, with nicer hair and a fuller figure." (10). She has horrible burn scars all over her body from a house fire, she can't walk well, and is thin. She is a very homely girl who respects, and remembers, her family's culture, values, and history.
The point of view in the story “Everyday Use,” by Alice Walker plays a big part. Throughout the story, one of Mama’s daughters came to visit. The way Mama and Maggie see her is not in a very pleasant way. In fact, they are scared to tell her no when it comes to anything. From Mama’s perspective Dee seems like this rude, stuck up, spoiled child because she had the opportunity to go out and expand her education, while Mama and Maggie continued to live their lives on the farm.
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.
Furthermore, the fire not only took physical aspects of her, but also the parts of Maggie in which completed her. Therefore Maggie wishes she could be more, as she looks upon her sister with a sense of bitterness and astonishment. In spite, she is looked upon on as a lame animal, alongside with being compared to that of an elephant. Not only did the fire demolish her, but also her family smothered her into feeling hopeless. Although displaying great potential, Maggie’s family never looked up to notice that side of her, leaving her to always be considered lower than everyone
Maggie has a very bad relationship with her bigger sister Dee with jealousy and hatred. Mama always thinks that Maggie lives an unfair life but Maggie never said that. “Maggie asked me mama when Dee ever had friends” (Walker, 317, 14), this quote shows how Maggie is jalousie from Dee, actually dee has friends. When Maggie sees stuff she doesn’t like she hides it and doesn’t talk but when she knew that Dee wanted to take the quilt that mama promised to give her she dropped the plates and smashes the kitchen door very hard.
In the short story, “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, their are two distinct characters who are very different from each other. These characters have many different motivations, personalities, and points of views with respect to preserving their heritage. The narrator, Mama, looks at them both with different views. Dee and Maggie are two completely different people. Dee has different motivations than Maggie.
Mama is able to tell the reader where Maggie’s burn scars came from, and what she thinks caused the fire. She tells the reader about the house burning, and how differently the two girls reacted to the fire. “How long ago was it that the house burned? Ten, twelve years? Sometimes I can still hear the flames and feel Maggie’s arms sticking to me, her hair smoking and her dress falling off her in little black papery flakes.
She deliberately avoids her and her new sense of self-righteousness. Maggie's lack of exposure to society makes her weak in her sister's eyes and vulnerable to her sister's pretentious attitude toward what is owed to Maggie. Dee disturbs the peace by proclaiming, "Maggie can't appreciate these quilts!” It is clear that Dee believes that she deserves to receive whatever she wants, yet Maggie never fights for what she is already entitled
Alice Walker attended Spelman College in Atlanta on a scholarship. While she was there, she participated in a few civil rights demonstrations. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. invited Alice to his home in 1962 at the end of her freshman year in recognition of her invitation to attend the Youth World Peace Festival in Helsinki, Finland. When she returned to Spelman, after touring Europe for the summer, she received a scholarship to Sarah Lawrence College in New York. She was hesitant on whether to attend, considering it was prestigious university.
Everyday Use by Alice Walker, emphasizes how different socioeconomic statuses view items, through a story based on the 70’s culture of an African American family. As an illustration of this, through literary analysis, will explore Everyday Use of how, low class, middle class and upper to wealthy class views items. In order to find out, how classes affect the usage of household items. Specifically, that based on class, how it will affect the perceived appropriate use of an item.
“Everyday Use” is one of the most popular stories by Alice Walker. The issue that this story raises is very pertinent from ‘womanist’ perspective. The term, in its broader sense, designates a culture specific form of woman-referred policy and theory. ‘womanism’ may be defined as a strand within ‘black feminism’. As against womansim, feminist movement of the day was predominately white-centric.