character analysis

Christina Muhlbaier

Dr. Elizabeth Weixel ENG 200-705

28 August 2014

Character Analysis of Dee in "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker

While reading the short story "Everyday Use", I found myself right away relating to how Walker tells the story of a family and how the actions of a child (Dee) eventually affected the outcome. Walker first introduced the character Dee through the eyes of Momma, who sees Dee as someone who has always been single-minded in achieving her goals, from leaving home to obtaining the nice things that she wanted. I feel she was selfish, uneducated in her identity and heritage, and unappreciated that of the way she carried herself throughout the story.

As a child, Dee demanded nice things. For example, "A yellow organdy dress to wear to her graduation from high school; black pumps to match a green suit she'd made from an old suit somebody gave me.

Momma

Maggie in her first appearance in the Ullman short...

Maggie Simpson

At sixteen she had a style of her own: and knew what style was." (Walker, 29) In my opinion, the extent of Dee's selfishness is evident by her lifestyle. Dee had used her past and still continued to use it to her benefit. Taking her heritage, and turning it around making her all throughout the story only thinking only about herself. Although she may be educated because she went to college; Dee was not educated with her family heritage, despite the stories her mother told her. In the end, she sure did prove it. In my opinion, Dee believed that she is too good for her family and showed it. She wrote to her mother saying "no matter where we choose' to live, she will manage to come see us. But she will never bring her friends" (Walker, 29). From this quote, it is apparent that...