Alice Walker's Everyday Use Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Alice Walker's Everyday Use - Essay Example Maggie is comfortable with who she is as a person and is proud of her family’s heritage. While she may be self-conscious of the burns and scars left by the fire, and she may be edgy about Dee’s opinion of her appearance, she still accepts herself as she is, knowing that it cannot be changed. She still manages to wear her family name with pride despite the bad hand she has been dealt. Dee, on the other hand, believes that she is above her own heritage, doing what she must to keep herself separated from the life that her younger sister leads. This can be seen when Dee changes her name to Wangero, because she â€Å"couldn’t bear it any longer, being named after that people who oppress† her. Dee changes what she can about herself because she is not pleased with the person she was raised to be. Similarly, Maggie wants to keep one of the family quilts because it has meaning to her. Dee, however, does not think that Maggie has the kind of love to her heritage tha t she has and demands the quilt for herself. Dee’s very personality makes it known that she has little love for her heritage and has an ulterior motive for wanting the quilt -- if she has it, Maggie cannot. Instead of arguing, Maggie agrees to give up the quilt that was rightfully hers, stating that she could take another quilt.