Family over Materials
...bright lights,” and smart with a witty tongue. In all actualities, Mama is very dark-skinned, big-boned, and has the education equivalent to that of a second-grader. After her dream, Mama describes both Dee and Maggie. Dee is described as, “She would always look someone in the eye. Hesitation was no part of her nature.” A lame animal is made reference to when Mama speaks of Maggie. By this point in the short story, the reader finds out that Maggie is jealous of Dee because Dee is pretty and does what she wants, when she wants to do it. Maggie is also in awe of her sister’s tenacity. After waiting a while longer, Maggie, who is nervous about seeing her sister, and Mama finally see a car headed up the dirt road that leads to their house. The people in the car are who they are expected to be, Dee and Hakim-a-barber, Dee’s “flavor of the month.” What is unexpected is Wangero, Dee’s new name, style, and personality. Dee also speaks in a different tongue other than her own. Going with the trend of the moment, Dee, also known as Wangero, wants to be a part of her family and learn more about her family lineage now. I got the impression from the story that Dee is only trying to impress Hakim-a-barber with her “Country Bumpkin” family, instead of sincerely wanting to know more about her family. Two hand-sewn quilts, made by Mama’s mother and sister, are among the few things Dee wants to decorate her college dorm room with. These very same quilts were promised to Maggie when Dee left to go to college in Augusta. Maggie steps in to say, “She can have them, Mama. I can ‘member Grandma Dee without the quilts.” In a huff, Mama snatches the quilts from Dee and plops them into Maggie’s lap. Mama and Dee go at it about the quilts for a short while longer, but eventually, Dee gives up and heads to the car to leave. Before she goes, Dee gives Maggie some advice. “You ought to try to make something of yourself,...