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In Alice Walker's "Everyday Use," what does Dee mean when she says, "Maggie can't appreciate these quilts! She'd probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use."?

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TheRealPeridot
I love this short story!! So what Dee ment when Maggie said that is she knows Maggie is going to actually use them. She's going to put them to Everyday Use. Why she doesn't like this is Dee is becoming more modern and believes that the quilts need to be preserved or hung on a wall. But Mama knows that the grandmother would have wanted them to be actually loved and used rather than just to look at.

Answer:

In Alice Walker’s short story “Everyday Use,” the handmade quilts are a means of staying connected to the family’s past and their ancestors. Dee wants use the quilts to decorate her home like one would do with historical artifacts. The quilts would not be put to “everyday use” in Dee’s home. However, for Mama and Maggie, the quilts represent the family’s history, experiences, and struggles across various generations. The quilts, made by family members, are reminders of cherished memories. These quilts were made from pieces of clothes the family members wore in their everyday life. The mother believes these lovingly made quilts should be of “everyday use” as her ancestors intended. She wants to give them to her younger daughter, Maggie, whom she believes will cherish the quilts, unlike Dee. As she tells Dee:

"God knows I been saving 'em for long enough with nobody using 'em. I hope she will!"

Explanation:

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