Everyday Use

In the short story "Everyday Use", Alice Walker emphasizes the aspect of individuality. The story concentrates on the lives of two sisters, Maggie and Dee. Growing up together under the same conditions clearly created two very distinct individuals with contrasting views regarding their past, present, and future.
The story begins with Mama and Maggie waiting for the arrival of Dee. Dee had moved away to attend a college in Augusta. She was the only one from her family to receive that level of education. Her decision to go to school caused a deeper separation gap between her family and her. As Dee is stepping out of the car, “I hear Maggie suck in her breath.” “Uhnnnh.” (Walker 75) Dee arrives wearing a stylish dress that is colored brightly with orange and yellow. Walker describes it as, “A dress so loud it hurts my eyes.” (Walker 75) She is accessorized with different types of gold jewelry as a sign that she is succeeding on her own. She is marking her ind...