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Dee versus Maggie: A Struggle for Self-Understanding. The twenties, a
time marred by prohibition and television’s implantations ...
Submitted by bcburnet on March 10, 2008
Category: English
Words: 1450 | Pages: 6
Views: 72
Popularity Rank: 100,429
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The twenties, a time marred by prohibition and television’s implantations, were widely known as a time of struggles such as the Great Depression and the beginning of what later became known as women’s rights. However, presumably the greatest struggle was that of ‘colored’ people. Because of limited resources, limited speech, and limited economic opportunities many ‘colored’ people sought ways to escape ‘everyday’ life and the hardships they often faced. One of these ways came by beginning to express themselves more freely. In addition, as a result, the Harlem Renaissance formed. In “Everyday Use”, Alice Walker, one of the frontrunners of the Harlem Renaissance, tells the story of an oppressed and under-privileged African American family with differing values on what it means to live, or more importantly, of one who struggles with understanding of their present life in relation to the traditions of their ancestors and culture. The audience is introduced to both girls at the beginning of the story. From the narrator’s vivid description of the girls, the reader quickly forms a distinction between the two daughters. The way Maggie walks is compared to that of “a dog run over by a careless rich person” (453). However, Dee is described as “lighter than Maggie, with nice hair and a fuller figure” (454). Just from the physical description, the readers can infer that Dee is the “prettier” of the two. Though they are totally opposites in physical features, both girls share a central theme. Alice Walker uses something as simple as a quilt to develop the central theme. This theme is that both daughters, Dee and Maggie, are confused about the meaning of their heritage. However, Dee’s confusion is a result of her not wanting to accept the way of her people versus Maggie’s confusion, which is the result of accepting the ways of her people.
When Dee returns from school with her male companion, she has changed her name to Wangero. This is the first...
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