Alice Walker’s Everyday Use

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Maggie is completely different from her sister. She does not have the same point of view from her sister. Maggie surprisingly looks up to Dee. She has lower self-confidence than Dee. Their mother states “She’s there, almost hidden by the door.”(Walker 1313) Maggie was in the house while the house got caught on fire and it left scars on her body. This has caused her to be less appealing than her sister. She has not experience much of life than her sister. She remains uneducated like her mother. Which she is proud of and does not want to change. Maggie and her mother point of views are similar which makes them have a closer bond. Unlike her sister Maggie appreciates her heritage and does not want to change anything about it.Maggie states “She can have them Mama, I can 'member Grandma Dee without the quilts." (Walker 1317) Which indicated that the quilt does not need the quilt it is just a remembrance of significant people in her past.

She wants the quilt because of the emotional values. She plans on putting the quilt to “everyday use”. She does not want to show off the quilt like her sister wants to. It seem as if Maggie and her mother are more happy and satisfied with their life more than Dee. Although they are not financially good, they feel as if they are living life to the fullest. At the end of the story, “Maggie smiles a real smile, not scared when given the quilts.”(Walker 1318) It comes to my attention that she really does deserve the quilt. She truly understand how significant the quilt is and how it important it is rather than her sister. Their mother feels better and comfortable giving Maggie the quilt. “When I looked at her like that something hit me in the top of my head. Just like when I’m in church and the spirit of God touches me and I get happy and shout.”(Walker 1317) Her mother did make the right decision in giving Maggie the quilt.

In essence, Alice Walker used these characters to carry out a profound meaning. Throughout the story Maggie and Dee showed no bond toward one another. They never really said anything towards one another until Dee was leaving. They were very different from one another. They have communication blockage in front of them. It seems as if Maggie is intimidated by Dee when she tries to get her point across. Maggie being shy does not say much to her or does even try to defend herself. It seems as if she want her mom to fight her battle for. At the same time it shown in the story that Maggie is more responsible and appreciate the little

things in life rather than her sister. This message behind this story is to accept and appreciate

where you are and where you come from.

Work Cited

Walker Alice, “Everyday Use”.The Story and Its Writer. Ed. Ann Charters.9th Ed.Boston:Bedford/St. Martin’s 2015. 1312-1318 Print.