Character Analysis Of Maggie And Mama In Alice Walker's Everyday Use

Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” is a very interesting story. In the story the characters are Dee, Maggie and Mama. Mama is the narrator of the story and she describes herself as being a big- boned woman with rough, man working hands. Maggie was is described as being very shy. She has scars on her body from when their old house burned up and she was caught in the fire. As a result of this Maggie felt safer at home with her mom. Ever since the fire Maggie has been walking with her chin on her chest, eyes on the ground and feet in the shuffle. Dee is described as being lighter than Maggie with nicer hair and a fuller figure. She is also spoiled and act as if she never heard the word no. In the story Mama describes how she picture’s her reunion with Dee will be like. She talks …show more content…
It 's really a new day for us.” But from the way you and Mama still live you 'd never know it." Dee is telling Maggie she needs to explore the world and become something of herself. It’s a new lifetime and she’s young. She don’t have to be just like her Mama and stay home and work the field. She can go to school and live her as she wants and not how her mom wants. But the way her and her mom is living they can’t tell that it’s a new day and time because they haven’t left their home. They stay on the farm and work the farm so they don’t leave their home.

In conclusion reading the short story “Everyday Use” really reminds you how important your heritage is. Mama and Maggie was content with the life they had where they worked the farm and would sit on the porch and relax. They embraced their heritage had quilts made by their aunt and grandma, a bench made by their uncle and dasher made by Uncle Buddy. Dee on the other hand didn’t realize how important her heritage was until she came back to visit Mama and Maggie. But having a heritage is nice to have but you can live your life and embrace your heritage