Characters in Everyday Use Essay

Everyday Use by Alice Walker

Alice Walkers Everyday Use, is about an African American family made up of a mother and two daughters: Dee and Maggie. Every character has its own importance and meaning to the story however Dee is the most fascinating character. Dee has an ongoing battle within herself about who she is and what she represents. Throughout the short story, her acts convey ignorance, selfishness and arrogance. In the midst of her character flaws, she faces an identity crisis with her own heritage.

As Mama and Maggie prepare for Dee to visit from school, Mama mind wonders. She compares her current life with the life her daughter Dee would want her to have. In real life, I am a large big boned woman, with man working hands But of course all of this does not show on television. I am the way my daughter wants me to be, a hundred pounds lighter, my skin like an uncooked barely pancake. My hair glistens in the hot, bright lights. (Walker #) This gives a description of Dees shame and disgrace of her family. Before Dee arrived, she wrote her mother saying, No matter where we choose to live she [Dee] will manage to come see us. But she will never bring her friends. (#) Dee is described as a light skinned person, with her waist small, nice grade of hair with little education. These details are obviously the reasons why Dee feels so much more better then her family.

Dee is inherently backwards like many African Americans are today. She fails to appreciate where her and her family came from but finds peace with the motherland, Africa. Dee changes her name to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo. After being asked by Mama why she changed her name she replied, Shes deadI cant bear it any longer, being named after the people that oppress me.(#) She left her own heritage to go into another one. Though the text does not say, it does imply Muslim. Her mother tried to explain the importance of her name because it belonged to beloved ones in their family. After Dee explains the death of the old her a, she stills eats the homemade meal her mother prepared. This included corn bread, chitterlings and greens. She is obviously ignorant to the fact that her new lifestyle does not permit her to eat pork.

How can Dee contradict herself by being ashamed of her own heritage? How can she act cultured but downplay the way her family lives? Although, Dee didnt accept the name of her ancestors she is excited, delighted and fascinated by all the handmade goods of her ancestors. Dee says, "I never knew how lovely these benches are. You can feel the rump prints," she said, running her hands underneath her and along the bench. Then she gave a sigh and her hand closed over Grandma Dee's butter dish. "That's it!" she said. "I knew there was something I wanted to ask you if I could have."(#) As she eats, she spots a churn top and dasher that she wanted. She had no idea where it came from or who made it but she wanted it for herself. Her sister, Maggie, however took the initiative to fill her in about who made it.

Dee is arrogant and has a very huge ego. This becomes apparent as she interacts with Mama and Maggie. Dee went into her Mamas trunk and found two beautiful hand quilted quilts inside. The quilts had a lot to do with the familys ancestral roots. They had been pieced by her Grandma Dee and then her Aunt and her Mama had hung them on the quilt frames and quilted them. When Dee revealed her interest to keep them, Mama let her know that they were being saved for her sister Maggie. Dee gasped saying, Maggie cant appreciate these quilts! Shed probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use. (#) Her motives and way of thinking are immature and juvenile. Because obviously, Maggie has more knowledge of their ancestral roots then Dee does. But yet she disrespects her sister to boost herself up.

Dee is introduced as a character who thinks she is too good for everyone, selfish and egotistical. But then, she sets the stage for a bigger problem: A young African American woman who is confused about who she is and whose she is. She is embarrassed by her ancestors but yet appreciates their craft. She tries to change who she is but who she is will always remain. You can take the girl out the country, but you cant take the country out the girl. As the great scientist Mr. Benjamin Franklin stated, Having been poor is no shame but being ashamed of it, is.