“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker exposes what true heritage and tradition is, opposed to solely portraying what African American is “supposed” to look like. Dee, after being sent off to college with the help of the community, has now returned. The disbelief that sprouts from Dee’s visit leaves her mother and sister wondering: is the girl who was sent off the same one who returned? Dee’s past actions and current behavior throughout the story reveal her truly manipulative and selfish personality. Dee selfishly left Maggie in a burning home, for the sole purpose of saving herself. Maggie and Dee were both involved in a house fire that occured in their old home. Coincidentally, Maggie was the only one who received more damage than anyone else living …show more content…
The very first setting the story takes place in is the yard.
The mother begins describing how detailed her home had been decorated for Dees’ arrival, “In the yard Maggie and I made so clean and wavy”(Walker, 135). Implying that the yard is not only property to the mother and Maggie, but it is sort of an expression of themselves. Dee’s appearance also was an important factor in this story. Dee had always been the pretty one in the family, as so described in the story, nothing else really concerned her. Dee’s family remains an embarrassment for her, despite her also having to experience the hardships they all lived through before she left. During their house burning, Dee stood and watched rather than show any type of concern for her sister
Maggie who was victim. Dee puts herself before anyone, or anything else. She had the opportunity to save her sister from such severe burns, but her remaining perfectly intact was the only preoccupation she had. This event insinuated the commencement of the realization that Dee is not as pure as Maggie, or anyone else for that matter.
Dee played a very important role in this short story, though not a very