Mama is brutally honest and often critical in her assessment of both Dee and Maggie. She harshly
describes shy, withering Maggie’s limitations
, and Dee provokes an even more pointed evaluation. Mama resents the education, sophistication, and air of superiority that Dee has acquired over the years.
What are Maggie’s values in everyday use?
Maggie, her sister, is a
symbol of respect and passion for the past
. Mama tells the story of her daughter Dee’s arrival. Told from first person narrative, Mama’s point of view offers an insight into the mother figure who appreciates her heritage while also representing a symbol of living history.
How does mama feel about Maggie?
Mama is brutally honest and often critical in her assessment of both Dee and Maggie. She harshly
describes shy, withering Maggie’s limitations
, and Dee provokes an even more pointed evaluation. Mama resents the education, sophistication, and air of superiority that Dee has acquired over the years.
Why is Mama closer to Maggie?
Mama is closer to Maggie
because Maggie followed her mom’s foot steps
. She was also living with her mother and she was passionate about using things for everyday use, unlike Dee who only used things for the purpose of art.
How does Mama describe Maggie in everyday use?
Before Dee arrives, Mama describes Maggie as being
like “a lame animal
, perhaps a dog run over by some careless person rich enough to own a car, [who] sidle[s] up to someone who is ignorant enough to be kind to him[.] … Maggie wants to blend in, to hide; she even tries to hide as Dee’s car pulls in.
Does Mama regret giving Maggie the quilts?
By giving the quilts to Maggie, Mama in a sense
merely fulfills her promise
. Mama had previously offered Dee a quilt, years earlier, but the offer had been rejected since quilts at that time were out of style. Maggie’s appreciation of the quilts has been long and consistent and will remain so.
How did Dee treat Mama and Maggie?
Dee treats Mama and Maggie disrespectfully,
taking photos of the family home
as though she is a tourist and helping herself to various items from their home. She also lectures them about how they should live their lives, failing to see that they are happy with the life they already have.
What is the message of everyday use?
Through Dee, “Everyday Use”
explores how education affects the lives of people who come from uneducated communities, considering the benefits of an education as well as the tradeoffs
. Alice Walker clearly believes that education can be, in certain ways, helpful to individuals.
What is the main idea of everyday use?
The main themes in Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” are
the Black Consciousness movement, rural versus urban Black identity, and tradition, heritage, and ownership
.
Why does Dee think Mama and Maggie don’t understand their heritage?
Dee thinks Mama and Maggie don’t understand their heritage
because they don’t change from it
. In Dee’s mind, Maggie and Mama lack the “Ethnic Pride” to leave the historical borders and live a prosperous life. In saying ‘”You ought to try to make something of yourself, too, Maggie.
What is causing tension between Dee and Mama?
Expert Answers Another cause of the tension between Mama and Dee is
the vast difference in their lifestyles
. While Mama has always admired Dee’s sense of style, it has also been a point from which Dee, who later renames herself “Wangero,” looks down upon her mother and her sister, Maggie.
What is the relationship between Mama and Maggie like?
Expert Answers
Mama and Maggie are very close
. Mama is protective over Maggie because Maggie is painfully shy and does not stand up for herself. Maggie was also burned in the fire that destroyed their former house, so she is ashamed of her skin that was burned.
What is the relationship between Dee and Maggie in everyday use?
The most basic relationship is that they are
sisters
. Dee is the older sister, Maggie the younger.
What hit Mama in everyday use?
At this moment in “Everyday Use,” Mama had been “hit” with a deep understanding of the nature of her two daughters, and with the knowledge of who the rightful owner of
the quilts
was. … She is struck, on the other hand, by Dee’s selfishness and lack of understanding of why the quilts have such significance.
Who is the antagonist in everyday use?
Answer and Explanation: In “Everyday Use,” the antagonist is
the narrator’s daughter Dee, also known as Wangero
. Dee has never been satisfied with her mother’s lifestyle, and the narrator describes being conflicted about this as she wants Dee’s approval.
Where do Mama and Maggie live in everyday use?
In “Everyday Use,” Mama, the story’s first person narrator, describes her relationship to her daughter Dee as Dee, an educated young African-American woman, returns to visit her
childhood house in the Deep South
. The story begins as Mama and Maggie, Dee’s sister and Mama’s younger daughter, prepare for the visit.
