The-contrast-between-the-Character-of-Maggie-and-D

ThecontrastbetweenMaggieandDeeInAliceWalker’s“EverydayUse”,thethreemaincharactersinthefamily,motherandMaggierepresentthetraditionalcultureofblack,whileDeepraisesthecultureofwhitehighly.Themother’stwodaughtersareverydifferentonappearance,personalityandlifeexperience.ThenIwouldliketoanalyzethecharacterofthetwodaughters.1.Maggierepresentstheneglected,disregardAmericanheritage.Thefirsttimetheauthordescribedherlikethis:“Maggiewillbenervousuntilafterhersistergoes:shewillstandhopelesslyincorner,homelyandashamedoftheburnscarsdownherarmandlegs,eyinghersisterwithamixtureofenvyandawe…”thescarsonherbodysymbolizethepainimprintleftonAmericanblacksbyevilRacialSlaveSystem.FromMaggie,weseeatypicalimagethattamedbywhiteslaveowners,neverdaretoexpressherrequest,andisalwaysatthemercyoffate.TheBlacksreallyhurtbothbodyandsoul.ButfinallyMaggiebecomesthesuccessorofthequits,thisisMaggie’svictory,thisisalsotheBlack’svictory.SoIconcludeasthosewhodon’trespectthecultureoftheAfricanAmericanshavenorightstogettheirtraditionsandcultures.TheBlacksshouldcherishtheirculturesandpassitfromgenerationtogenerationwithoutstop.2.Deewasborninablackfamilybutwasinfluencedbythecultureofthewhiteanddepartedfromhertraditionalblackcivilizationgradually.Afterseveralyears’education,shelookeddownherhometownmoreseriously.Whenthehouseburned,“IseeDeestandingoffunderthesweetgumtreesheusedtodiggumoutof;alookofconcentrationonherfaceasshewatchedthelastdingygrayboardofthehousefallintowardthered-hotbrickchimney.Whydon’tyoudoadancearoundtheashes?I’dwantedtoaskher.Shehadhatedthehousethatmuch.”Deewasdisgustedwiththeoldhousewhichstoodforpovertyandlowlystation.Deealsohatedthelifestyleofherunenlightenedfamily.Shewasashamedofhermotherandsisterwhocamefromahumblefamily.“Sheusedtoreadtouswithoutpity;forcingwords,lies,otherfolk’shabits,wholelivesuponustwo,sittingtrappedandignorantunderneathhervoice.”Deeimposedonmotherandsisterlotsoffalsityatfirst.Certainly,Deehadsomethingtobeboasted.“Deewantednicethings.”“Shewasdeterminedtostaredownanydisasterinherefforts.”“Atsixteenshehadastyleofherown.”ItfollowsthatDeeisaconfident,independentandfashionablegirl.,TheclimaxwasthesceneofDeebeingrefusedbymotherwhenshewantedtotakethetwoquiltsaway.Becauseshethoughttheywerepriceless.Sheadmittedthatshewouldneverusethembuthungthemup,becauseitwastheonlythingtodowiththequilts.Maggie,ontheotherside,wouldmakegooduseofthequiltsandputthemonthebed.Accordingtothetwodifferentviewsuponthequilts,weunderstoodwhichonewasmoreawareoftheheritage.Deewasashallowperson.Shedidnotknowthequilt’ssignificance,butonlyfocusedonthelonghistory.Inaword,Deedidnotreallyrealizethecultureofblack.Dee’sroleisveryimportant.Thespecialrolerevealstheblacktopursuethepowerofwoman.Atthattime,theblackdesireforfreedomextremely.Deeisaspecialwoman,independent,pretentiousandvulgar.Thoughshepursuesthewhitecultureinitiallyandlaterbeginstounderstandtheblackculture,shealsoconsidersabigstepforward.