Essay on change of Mama
“Everyday Use” is about the change in Mama. ... In the beginning, Mama was afraid to show her true colors. ... It takes this “threat” from Dee to bring Mama out of her shell . ... The characters, times and symbols within the story all are factors of the change in Mama. Maggie, Mama, Dee and the quilt are all intertwined. The quilt is more than just a quilt, it is the symbol of the family’s ancestors, and Mama takes a stand when Dee tries to remove the symbol out of its rightful place, with Mama and Maggie. ... What brings about this sudden switch is one of Mama’s daughters being threatened; it is Maggie: the weak one, the timid one. ... Dee knows that Maggie will never stand up to her and refuse to let her take the quilt, so Mama decides to take a stand for Maggie. The whole story leads up to a confrontation between Dee and Mama. Dee has been degrading the family since she was little, and although she may not have known it, Mama sees Dee for exactly what she is. Mama knew that Dee was happy when the house burned down, she knew how Dee constantly put herself above her family, how she made them feel inferior by reading to them and “shove us away at just the moment, like dimwits, we seemed about to understand.