Maggie and Dee & sisters Essay

Everyday Use is about these two colliding characters: Maggie and Dee are sisters. In the story, Maggie seems to be the powerless and passive character. She had scars from being burnt and this experience brought her to directed inward. She valued the things that are less superficial and more meaningful. She has stayed with her mother and there she learned making quilts. Dee is more the outgoing type. She cares a lot about her style. She’s into physical appearance and boys are one of her interest. Thesis Statement: The central conflict this part of the story is the triumph over legacy – who will be recognized as the successor? This very powerful story revolves around the quilt. As Dee tries to win the quilt, she also seeks her long-lost heritage after a long time of absence. (Walker 278). (66) â€Å"’Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts! † She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use. †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Dee always tries to prove herself in the way of her power to persuade and aggression (Walker 278): (68) â€Å"But they’re priceless,† she was saying now furiously for she had a temper. Maggie would put them on the bed and in five years they’d be in rags. Less than that! †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ But Maggie is a strong person with inner strength and she knows that the legacy has been passed on to her (Walker 279). (74) ‘â€Å"She can have them Mama, â€Å"she said like somebody used to never winning anything reserved for her. â€Å"I can ‘member Grandma Dee without the quilts. † Maggie said. ’† The mother knew that her daughter Maggie has been the one who deserves the heritage. Although Maggie seems weak and she will talk in peace (Walker 279). (75) ‘â€Å"She stood there with her scared hands hidden in the folds of her skirt. She looked at her sister with something like fear. But she wasn’t mad at her. This was Maggie’s portion. This was the way she knew God to work. †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Towards the end of the story, Dee knows that her mother fought for Maggie and has won the battle. She denies herself from humility that she lost (Walker 279). (81) ‘â€Å"You ought to try to make something of yourself, too, Maggie. It’s really a new day for us. But from the way you and Mama still live, you’ll never know it. † Dee will always hide the loss. She will not be someone who will stand up for defeat and that is in a way being a coward (Walker 279). (82)â€Å"She put on her glasses and hid everything above the tip of her nose and her chin. † Conclusion: Everyday Use explores the long years a mother’s will to raise her children, see them grow and realize their identity. Maggie spent her every day with her mother and her mother experienced her presence for the longest years. Meanwhile Dee has spent her life away from her family. The one who has learned the craft of quilting which signifies her unconditional love for her family is Maggie and finally her mother realizes that and in all sense she deserves that honor of their heritage. Citation: Walker, Alice. â€Å"Everyday Use. † In Love and Trouble: Stories of Black Women. Harvest Books (1974): 272-279.