Alice Walker in her story "Everyday Use," weaves a very interesting portrait of family life. Her narrative really was quite interesting and kept my attention. I really enjoyed her many examples, with which she incorporated the reader. She several times compared things in the story to things you (the reader) have "no doubt seen..." (388). These few interjections allowed me to have a more personal experience while I was reading.
             In the beginning I was confused as to which character was which, but it all came clear as the plot progressed. Dee (rather Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo, Wangero for short) comes back from college, and she manages to rub me the wrong way. I was not too fond of her character. She seemed very self-absorbed, though in the last paragraph she redeemed herself, somewhat. She returns, with a new name, and a new boyfriend ("a short stocky fellow with the hair to his navel" (392).) and a new way of thinking. She seems to see herself as better than her poor family, especially her sister, who's scarred really badly from a fire a few years earlier. This attitude of superiority shows itself in several instances, but especially in the quilt episode. She tries to convince her mother to let her have two antique quilts, because she thinks Maggie (her sister) will wear them out. I was quite upset with Wangero here, especially since she had turned down the blankets earlier (however, that was when she was still Dee). I was very proud of the mother character for not giving in to her "successful" child, and instead doing what was right. The character Maggie seemed simple, yet she seemed very kind-hearted. This story was interesting, and I will probably keep this in mind next time I go home, and remember that just because I'm back from college, the household does not revolve around me.
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