Unlike her sister, Dee, Maggie loves the family quilts because she knows the people whose lives and stories are represented by them. She even knows how to quilt herself. Her mother has promised Maggie the quilts, which Dee has already once refused, when she gets married because they are meaningful to her.
Why does Dee want Maggie to have the quilts?
When Mama offers Dee different quilts, Dee explains she wants the old quilts because of the hand stitching and the pieces of dresses stitched in that Grandma used to wear. Like her new name, she believes the quilts connect her to her heritage, when actually she knows nothing about either.
What does Maggie say about the quilts?
What makes the quilts valuable to Dee, and what makes them valuable to Maggie? Dee values the quilts as a decoration showcasing her past what would you do with them? Hang them, she said. As if that was the only thing you could do with quilts (8).
Does Mama regret giving Maggie the quilts?
By giving the quilts to Maggie, Mama in a sense merely fulfills her promise. Mama had previously offered Dee a quilt, years earlier, but the offer had been rejected since quilts at that time were out of style. Maggies appreciation of the quilts has been long and consistent and will remain so.
What is the conflict between Dee and Maggie over?
The main conflict of the story “Everyday Use” is that Dee wants the quilt to show off with her friends, but mama wants to give the quilt to Maggie, because she thinks Maggie will “use” it everyday; not just showing off their heritage everyday.
Why would Mama prefer Maggie get the quilts and use them for everyday use?
Mama, the narrator, ultimately gives the family quilts to Maggie instead of Dee (Wangero) because she recognizes that Dee gets everything she wants, that shes even already claimed the quilts as her own, because they were promised to Maggie, and because Maggie is the daughter who wants them for the right reasons.
How does Maggie respond when Dee demands the quilts?
Although Maggie is intimidated by her sister, she does not hesitate to demonstrate her displeasure when Dee asks to have the old quilts. She suggests that Maggie would not appreciate the quilts and would instead put them to everyday use.
How does Maggie feel when Mama doesnt give Dee the quilts?
The quilts symbolize a heritage that Dee has largely rejected (even though she thinks she hasnt). Dee will not appreciate the quilts as they were truly meant to be appreciated, nor will she use them as they were truly meant to be used. Maggie will both appreciate them and use them.
What terrible thing happened to Maggie when she was a child?
From when she was seven years old until she was 14, Maggie was raped on multiple occasions by the three foster boys. The main offender was a boy named Dan. After one incident with Dan, Maggie reported the abuse to her foster mother.
What different uses would Maggie and Dee have for the quilts?
Maggie would have put the quilts to everyday use while Dee wished to hang them as artistic pieces on her walls. The latter wanted to preserve their African heritage but in doing so she completely ignored the fact that the quilts were made by her grandmother, mother and aunt to put to everyday use.
How does Dee feel about Maggie?
Dee feels a sense of entitlement, which defines her relationship with Maggie. Maggie is a shy, introverted girl. She has scars on her arms and legs from the fire that burned her house about twelve years ago. Maggie is a slow reader.
Why does Mama resent Dee reading to Maggie and her?
However, her reading to them was also a way of showing off her knowledge and superior intellect, and Mama notes Dee would shove us away at just the moment, like dimwits, we seemed about to understand. At the end of the story, Dee kisses Maggie and encourages her to make something of herself.
Why does Mama choose Maggie over Dee?
Mama, the narrator, ultimately gives the family quilts to Maggie instead of Dee (Wangero) because she recognizes that Dee gets everything she wants, that shes even already claimed the quilts as her own, because they were promised to Maggie, and because Maggie is the daughter who wants them for the right reasons.
Why does Mama refuse to let Dee take the quilts?
The mother is reluctant to let Dee have the quilts because they have been promised to Maggie who is about to be married. Also, she knows that Maggie cherishes the quilts as part of her family heritage.
What was the biggest difference between Dee and Maggie?
Expert Answers Maggie is homely, shy, and has scars from her burns. Dee is lighter, with nicer hair and a fuller figure. Maggie looks at Dee with envy and awe. Maggie feels that life has always been easier for Dee than for her.
What is causing tension between Dee and Mama?
Expert Answers Another cause of the tension between Mama and Dee is the vast difference in their lifestyles. While Mama has always admired Dees sense of style, it has also been a point from which Dee, who later renames herself Wangero, looks down upon her mother and her sister, Maggie.
What happened to Maggie in everyday use?
Severely burned in a house fire when she was a child, her scarred, ugly appearance hides her sympathetic, generous nature. She lives at home and is protected by Mama, remaining virtually untouched by the outside world.
Is Maggie jealous of Dee?
Maggies relationship with Dee is rife with jealousy and awe. Mama recalls how Maggie had always thought Dee had been gifted with an easy life in which her hopes and desires were rarely, if ever, frustrated.
Why cant Mama read in everyday use?
Eye Contact and Eyesight In describing Maggies ability to read, Mama says that Maggie does the best she can despite not being able to see well. This qualified vision is associated with a lack of intelligence or mental acuity.
What do the handmade quilts symbolize in Everyday Use?
Its kind of a no-brainer to conclude that the quilts in Everyday Use symbolize family heritage. They were handmade by the narrator, her sister, and her mother, and theyre comprised of clothing worn by generations of family members.
Why does Mrs Johnson Mama decide to stand up to Dee and not allow her to take the quilts at the end of the story?
The quilts symbolize the familys heritage. They have been in the family since Dee and Maggies grandmother made them. Johnson decides to give the quilts to Maggie she isnt simply giving her quilts she is giving her something that is very meaningful in the hope that she can carry on that heirloom.