Dee stands out from her family in views of their heritage Essay Example

do a dance around the house while it was on fire.

The mother also was sure that Dee would like the new house when she sees it as she states, ” No doubt when Dee sees it she will want to tear it down. ” (353) Since Dee never brought any friends around the house one would wonder if she ever had any or she was just that ashamed of her family’s living. Dee became controversial in a lot of issues regarding her family’s life. She seemed to have wanted a change in their customs and morals. While her mother and Maggie waited her return home from school in Augusta, Dee had gone through a certain transformation.

Dee now goes by the name, “Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo” which maybe of African decent. Her mother asks, ” What happened to ‘Dee’, and she says, “She’s dead. ” (354) Dee says she will no longer go by the name of people who oppressed her. Another major issue in this story is the discussion about the quilts. They were also a prized possession of the family. These quilts were something that was passed down through generations. They were stitched and made from the clothing of Grandma Dee, Big Dee, and even the mother.

When Dee saw the quilts she wanted to take them with her very badly, but the mother wasn’t sure if she should let her have them. The mother remembered that she had once tried to give them to Dee but she wasn’t interested then. She had also made a promise that she would give them to Maggie. Dee became frustrated with the idea of giving the quilts to Maggie,

because she said, “She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use. ” (356) The mother felt the sudden feeling to stand in her promise to Maggie and not give the quilts to Dee, as she took them from her placed them on Maggie’s lap.

Dee was upset at the decision of her mother and tells her, “You just don’t understand,” when it comes to the family’s heritage. (357) Dee ends by saying, “It’s really a new day for us, [but] from the way you and Mama still live you’d never know it. ” (357) In concluding, there are a couple of issues to show that Dee is different from here mother and Maggie. Dee hated her surroundings growing up and she was very feminine in contrast to them. Dee also made a major transformation when she left for school, because on her arrival back home she came back a new person with a new name.

A change in a name can be symbolic to a change in reputation or character. Usually characteristics come with a name. For instance, my family is very athletic, so when someone mentions the name, ‘Blackmon’ one may look for athletic characteristics. Dee thinks that her mother and Maggie are too old-fashioned about their heritage. What it all boils down to is her mother and Maggie are just trailing the lifestyle of the elderly that came before them, and that is all they know and act on.