Animosity In Alice Walker's Everyday Use

In “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker the mother is forced to settle the animosity between her two daughters through the present dilemma. As is the case of most families one child is often given more attention or opportunities while others due to various constraints are often neglected, this was the apparent case in the story. Readers are made conscious from the start that Maggie is not given the same opportunities as Dee and evidently is the animosity that incites the consequent dilemma. The sudden shift in the story for Maggie can be considered a perepteia since after years of being neglected and ignored she is finally allowed to earn justice in the story’s culmination. Within the story three sources of animosity can be identified as the vast …show more content…
The mother was once unaware of her actions however Dee’s return brought her to the realization of her noisome actions. She had unconsciously been supporting Dee (Wangero’s) “bougie” lifestyle while neglecting Maggie’s own possible dreams and ambitions. The reality dawns on her when she finally sees Wangero’s intentions. Wangero didn’t come home to enjoy her family but rather to see how much more she could reap from them. She wanted all the family heirlooms she wanted to show off her family’s “heritage”. However, what was contradictory was that her own name was a part of that same heritage however she rejects that. This then made the mother reflect and give the articles to the deserving daughter who had genuinely appreciated them as oppose to Dee who merely wanted them for show. Maggie was there throughout, she knew the purpose of the items, she used them, and so she knew how significant they were. Wangero’s intentions were to remove them and treat them like museum artifacts. Clearly then, the decision that the mother makes is the most suitable in both fairness on Maggie’s behalf and to give the articles to the person that would show more appreciation for