Sister Rivalry In Everyday Use By Alice Walker

In “Everyday Use,” by Alice Walker the story brings a theme about sister rivalry. The two sisters, Maggie and Dee think differently about their culture, making them become apart from each other. Maggie is the shy and nervous sister while Dee is the confident and selfish sister. The quilt is what they valued different because it was a symbol for heritage for Dee ,but Maggie knows her heritage and she can remember it. The story makes the sister realizing their own self by having a conflict about the quilt.
Dee and Maggie are different from each other. Maggie feels like Dee get everything she wants but Maggie never gets anything. “Maggie will be nervous until after her sisters goes: she will stand hopelessly in corners, homely and ashamed of the burn scars down her legs, eying her sister with a mixture of envy and awe.”(p.50) Maggie is nervous and shy girl and she wishes she was like Dee but she is ashamed of her scars. “Dee is lighter than Maggie, with nicer hair and fuller figure. Dee, though. She would was look anyone in the eye.”(p.52) Dee is more prettier and has a better body than Maggie. Dee is a confident girl who is not afraid. Dee and Maggie have different personalities and act differently.

“It was Grandma Dee and Big Dee who taught her how to quilt herself.”(p.59) Maggie’s Grandma and Big Dee showed her how to quilt. Maggie already knows how to quilt than Dee because she was taught. “Not ‘Dee,’ Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo!” “Hang them,” She said as if that was the only thing you could do with quilts.”(pg.59) Dee changed her name to an African name to obtained where she came from. She thought the only thing to do with quilts is to hang them. Maggie can remember her culture ,but Dee changes her’s to start her