Question

PART A: What prompts the narrator to refuse to give Dee the quilts she wants?

Answer 1

In "Everyday Use," we meet a mother and two daughters: Dee and Maggie. They are African American, and extremely different in their personalities. While Maggie is shy and traditional, with simple aspirations, Dee has been educated, is interested in political and social issues, and wants to celebrate her African roots. Dee is very different from the rest of her family. She has moved away and started a new life with her partner, when she comes back to visit one day.

When she is back home, she notices her grandma's quilts, and wants to keep them. However, the mother had already promised them to Maggie. There is further disagreement as Dee wants the quilts to be preserved and only used in special occasions, while Maggie thinks they should be used everyday. The mother eventually refuses to give them to Dee and gives them to Maggie. She believes Maggie better understands the importance of tradition, and that she will better honour them by using them everyday, as opposed to Dee who only wants them as a conversation piece.