In "Everyday Use" Maggies flaws are shown to the reader from the onset. The physical scares are pointed out clearly to teh readers. There is the emotional scares as well. Maggie has been left disfigured because of a fire. She fells she is less of a person then her sister Dee.
Dee, is presented as being "flawless" in every way. Dee, is light skined, attractive,stylish, well educated, and has great hair. These traits are to suggest that Dee is superior to Maggie. This is a culture thing in this race being suggested. That the color of your skin (lighter) will help you go further in society.
Mrs. Johnson has contributed to Maggies lack of self worth by collecting funds to send Dee off to college, but not Maggie. Towards the end of the story Mrs. Johnson finally stands up to Dee in defence of Maggie by snaching the quilts from Dee.
Dee and Maggie are oppisite of each other in the subject of roots and family.
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The reason why Dee has a different approach to her heritage because of a higher education. One tends to look at the world differently when one acquires a higher education. To point out the differences at the beginning of the story means to me that the narrator wants to speficy the big difference the two sisters have. Maggie is more influenced by what her Mama tells her and she does not have a connection outside the home. Keep note on what Dee told Maggie on the last part of the story where she said, "You ought to try to make something of yourself, too, Maggie. It's really a new day for us. From the way you and Mama still live you'd never know it". Dee made it clear to Maggie that there is a life out there and the new possibilities given to women and African-American women at that time. The line, "It's really a new day for us", suggests that it is time to get out of the "comfort zone". Living with your Mama does not suggest that there is less love and respect but it would only make Maggie's life more passive. Maggie's way of honoring her heritage is more conservative and "old way".
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