Valerie Shaw
English 102
February 6, 2011
“Everyday Use” question 2
Life’s of Mother, Dee, and Maggie
In every family there seems to be a child that has been blessed with better looks, more talent, or better book smarts. In the short story “Everyday Use” there is a perfect example of that family. Dee is the blessed child in this short story she is attractive, smart, and out going; however, Maggie has been left behind in beauty, luck, and confidence. The author reflects the past of the family in the present actions of each characters.
The character mother (the narrator) in this story has had a very hard life and comes from a slave family. Mother has been the mom and dad to both of her daughters, and she has worked for everything in her life. She is big boned overweight woman with manly hands from her working outside. She is uneducated and good at doing a man's job like milking cows. She has never been afraid to kill an animal with her own hands and will have it ready to eat the same day. She is not afraid of much, but mother has always let Dee get what she wants. Mother uses her culture and heritage as a means of living still and also for its personal significances.
Dee is a out going determined woman which is shown through out the story. She is not afraid to look people in the eye and does not take no for an answer. Dee is well educated and more modern than her family. Dee has never particularly liked the old way of living which is shown through her hatred of the old house. Dee did not even care when the old house burned down. Dee always wanted out of the farm life; she wanted to have nice things. Dee wanted to use her heritage as a trendy new fashion not for any sentimental reason.
Maggie is the younger less fortunate sister of Dee. Maggie has always been rather shy and envious of her older sister. Maggie is timid, and walks as though she is scared or rejected. She was not like that before the fire, she is now ashamed of her burns. Maggie has...