The Symbolism Of Dee And Maggie In Everyday Use By Alice Walker

The short story “everyday use” by Alice walker is a story about a mother and her two daughters Dee and Maggie. The story capitalize on the upbringing of two siblings, and how they can be raised under the same conditions and rules but still manage to have different outcomes. Dee belittles her family and many ways, and she believes she is better than her past. She believes that she know and understand the true meaning of her past.

The story opens up as the mother reminiscing about the fire that Maggie was involved in when their old home had burn down. She states “Maggie’s arm sticking to me her hair smoking…” (25). She compassionately feels her daughter’s pain. She also clearly remembers the look on Dee’s face as she stood there watching the fire with no look of remorse for her sister. This quote shows the hatred that Dee expresses toward her` family home. Based on the context clues Dee looks as if the house meant nothing to her, and as her mother stated Dee hated the home.

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Dee rushed in the house and begin to ramble. Dee’s attentions was captured by two old handmade quilts, made by Grandma Dee and quilted by the mother and her own sister. Dee wanted to take the quits with her into her new marriage. Dee believed that : “Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts!” she says, “She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use.” Dee then begin to belittle her sister stating that she believes that she would have a better use for the quilts than Maggie. The mother told dee “No” she could not have the quilts. Dee became more angry and she then stormed off stating “ You just don’t understand”. The mother then replied “ I don’t understand what”
Dee turned around and stated “Your Heritage”.

In conclusion, Just because you are educated does not mean you are the only person who is aware of their past. Dee believed that since she is educated she is the only one in her family tha understand their