Change of Character. This essay is a character analysis of Dee in Alice Walker's short story, "Everyday Use." The grade was an 85 and could have been higher if the grammer would have been better!

Essay by bubbles_me1High School, 12th gradeB, February 2003

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In Alice Walker's short story, "Everyday Use", the character Dee was portrayed as quick-witted and determined. The story began with two daughters who were raised alike, yet lived extremely different. There is a fine line of distinction between the traits and aspirations of the two. Alice Walker drew portraits through her words of three women in a family in the short story. Maggie was the youngest daughter who had lived in the shadows and had been somewhat ashamed most of her life. She was portrayed as the insecure little sister of Dee. Dee was the eldest of the two children and was known for not backing down to people when faced by them. Dee was shown as an independent person who was not proud of her heritage growing up.

When the story commences the speaker, who is also Maggie and Dee's mother, tells the story of their old house burning down.

She recounts that event and tells, "sometimes I can still hear flames and feel Maggie's arms sticking to me?and Dee. I see her standing off under the sweet gum tree she used to dig gum out of; a look of concentration on her face?." As the speaker tells this account the reader conveys the idea that Dee set the house on fire herself. After anaylzing the passage the reader can conclude that Dee burned the house as a symbol of doing away with a part of herself that she did not like. The mother speaks of how she believed Dee also used to hate Maggie too.

When the mother and the church raised enough money to send Dee to school in Augusta, Dee was ecstatic. She couldn't wait to get away from her family and her new house that she was so ashamed of. Dee left for...