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Alice Walker juxtaposes Maggie with her sister, Dee, to demonstrate how society denigrates not only African-American women but women in general in the 1970s. Early on in the story, Maggie is described as nervous, hopelessly standing in the corner. Later she is described as nearly hidden from view. On a metaphorical level, Maggie is the symbol of the lack of power women held in the 1970s. She is the epitome of the silent female homemaker. On the other hand, Dee is assertive, “will look you right in the eye.” She serves as a symbol of the free, successful modern woman. However, her assertiveness might come off as cockiness, and too much pride. By contrasting Maggie and Dee, Alice Walker is expressing both sides of the female role during that time.

This section of the story is the prime difference between the sisters is revealed: Dee would like to use the quilts as pieces of artwork for her own home because it is something that would be stylish and argues with her mother that Maggie "would be backward enough to put them to everyday use." Dee says this as if it were a bad thing to use the quilts as they were intended to be used but Mama believes that the everyday use, is the best way to value the past, to keep the spirit of the family going and not putting the items up for display as if they were in a museum or separating oneself from his or her family.

Critic, Nancy Tuten believes that Mama does not like the fact that Dee bosses her and Maggie around.

Mama, Maggie and Dee are totally different characters and have different opinions in their way of living.

While the two sisters perspectives on heritage contrast each other, Walker employs a case of dramatic irony to prove that Dee's perspective is wrong, which automatically proves that Maggie is right, considering their opposite characteristics. Dee

     Pride is the theme that seems to separate this family the most. It's having pride versus not having it. Maggie doesn't have it. She does not speak for herself when Dee wants the quilts. She lets mama speak for her. Like a scalded dog, she hides behind Mama when Dee arrives. Mama compares Maggie to a "Lame animal…run over by a car…"(Walker 88). Pride mostly comes from respect and she doesn't get much. Dee maybe has too much pride. This probably comes from "the world not knowing how to say no to her." She has looks and she's what one would describe as

Maggie is the younger sister of the two. Parallel to Mama, Maggie also suffer from insecurities. Dee is lighter than Maggie with nicer hair and a fuller figure. Maggie was burned in the house fire and she shuffles when she walks. She is described as being shy, unable to make eye contact, and does not like to be seen when other people are around. The story tells how “she stand hopelessly in the corners, homely and ashamed of the burn scars down her arm and legs, eyeing her sister with a mixture of envy and awe” (p.315). Maggie’s thought of her sister is that she has always held life in the palm of one hand, that’s “no” is a word the world never learned to

Even with all these difference, both sisters share one ultimate similarity of lacking confidence in some aspect of life. Maggie is seen in the forefront within her personality. Maggie is seen as shy and timid because of lifelong comparison to her sister that causes her not to feel worthless. Additionally, the scars she receives from the fire enhanced her lack of self confidence making her want to hide in the shadows. Similar to her sister, Dee shockingly lacks in confidence. Unlike Maggie, Dee does not seem to be lacking in self-confidence. However, at a much closer look her lack of confidence is shown by her self-hate of her original life and not accepting her heritage. Dee’s self-hate is apparent when her sister Maggie realizes that she never brings home a friend and when Dee changes her name to Wangero. Dee never brings home a friend because she feels like the life she was giving was undeserving of her beauty and intelligence. When Dee goes off to college and write home, she state the “she will visit no matter where we “choose” to live” (paragraph 14), meaning that she will only come and live her friends and other life behind in order to keep her past separate from her future. In addition to her name change

Maggie the younger sister has always stayed true to their traditions and her heritage compared to Dee, who like explained before, was educated and stirred away from her heritage. Maggie and Mama continued to take on the roles

Who is more in touch with her heritage, Dee or Maggie? Provide specific proof to back up your opinion.

I am sure Dee feels like she has done nothing wrong. An article on “Everyday Use” expresses: “Maggie has stayed home with her mother and lived an old-fashioned, traditional life, while Dee has gone off to school and become sophisticated” (Everyday Use). She worked hard and got an education and she sees nothing wrong with that. In fact she believes it is what her sister should do as well. The story depicts, “… and then she turned to Maggie, kissed her, and said, ‘You ought to try to make something of yourself, too, Maggie’”

Some sisters have a great relationship, but some do not. The characteristics of both sisters shape that relationship. Although Dee and Maggie are sisters in the story “Everyday Use”, they have many characteristics that are different, but they also have a few characteristics that are similar. Dee and Maggie both differ in the characteristics of being assertive and being family oriented, but they share the characteristic of being clever.

When I first read Everyday Use by Alice Walker I noticed the difference between the two character Dee and Maggie. So, I decided I would focus the majority of my energy on the concept of the two sisters being the inner voices in one's head. My favorite part of Everyday Use is the contrast of the two girls.

Prior to the beginning of the story, context clues show that Dee and her family already had a broken relationship. She is the oldest child between Maggie and her, but not the humblest between the two. In my opinion Dee’s personality comes off as arrogant, uneducated, unappreciative of her family heritage which causes her to carry herself in a ridiculous way.

Dee didn't want to be a part of her past she wanted and still wants the "good" life. Maggie is living the day to day memories of her past because she has grown up respecting it all her life, even with the hardships and devastations she has had to endure. Living, breathing and respecting your culture is taking the good with the