Everyday Use By Alice Walker Analysis

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Mothers Protect Daughters In the poem “MY MOTHER PIECED QUILTS,” Teresa Palomo Acosta describes the impact quilts made by her mother had on her life. She describes their sentimental value through the events that theoretically pieced the quilts together. Acosta’s parents migrated to the United States and her poetry reflects on stories about her life and her family. In the story “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker depicts a story of the fight for family heirlooms between her two conflicting daughters. Walker is known for her writings about civil rights movements. The mother in the story is depicted as the protector of Maggie, who is portrayed as the weaker of the two sisters. While the poem uses words generally associated with war to describe the actions of the…show more content…
I perceived Maggie as much younger in the beginning because she is described almost like a small child. The mother, who is also the narrator of the story, describes Maggie as being like “a lame animal, perhaps a dog run over by some careless person.” The mother in the story describes the fire that burned down their last home and how she was holding Maggie and still being able to feel Maggie being burnt. I think the mother’s determination to save her daughter is admirable. The mother also shows possessiveness of Maggie by referring to her as “my Maggie.” It is explained that Maggie’s sister, Dee, usually receives the most attention and she is very rarely told no. Dee acts ungrateful in various parts of the story while she is removing items in the house that she believes reflect her heritage. While everyone else seems to prefer Dee, the mother still sides with Maggie and gives her the promised quilts. Maggie does not argue with Dee when she asks for the quilts, but the mother still stands up for her. Dee is obviously upsetted by the fact that she doesn’t receive the quilts; however, the mother still protects Maggie and she receives the
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