The Physical Beauty of Dee in Everyday Use, a Short Story by Alice Walker Essay Example

Dee possesses a perfection of beauty, it just remains on superficial good qualities. Dee's selfishness is also evident by her lifestyle. When she was a child, she always wanted "nice things" that did not belong to her, like "the suit somebody gave [Mama)" and "black pumps to match a green suit" for her own graduation dress. Dee's mother said that "the way my daughter would want me to be: a hundred pounds lighter, my skin like an uncooked barley pancake. My hair glistens in the hot bright lights." This makes her really selfish because she is not proud of her mum who works hard to let her have an education. Maggie sees Dee "with a mixture of envy and awe". The way that Dee treat her sister since her childhood to the present as a heartless person who disregards others. The house where they used to live, was burned to the ground. Maggie was the one who was burned, her "hair smoking and dress falling off her in little black papery flakes."

Although Dee saw Maggie in that situation, she still stood "off under the sweet gum tree" at a distance. As a result, Maggie had scars mentally and physically. She is very ashamed of them. Dee's mom "used to think Dee hated Maggie, too". Dee showed herself as selfish throughout the story and always feel ashamed about her poor family. She wrote to her family saying, “No matter where we choose to live, she will manage to come see us. But she will never bring her friends” She uses a Polaroid camera to take pictures of her mother and sister. She "never takes a shot

without making sure the house is included". Dee's mom remembers that Dee hated the old house and was glad when it burned. It is truth because Dee is still struggling with who she is and where she came from. It is as though she has broken free from the shackles of her poor past and needs the pictures as proof of her freedom. Dee's main goal is to show how far she has come from her roots. It proves by introducing herself as Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo, and her boyfriend as Asalamalakin. She changed her name because she believed her real name was a slave name. Dee's insecurity concerning her past becomes evident. Her mother sees the action of the name change as a denial of where she came from.

When she was young, while dating, she hardly had time to be with her family. Now, she is coming home from college in the city as an educated woman. Dee's motivation in returning home seems not only to see her family but also being able to retrieve a few things from her "heritage". She began to ask her mom for things that were in 'everyday use". She asks for the chum top they used and for the quilts which were promised to Maggie but again, like a child, Dee takes them before anyone can object because '"no" is the word the world never learned to say to her" Once her mother tells her that she will not be getting them, that they are going to Maggie, Dee replied, “Maggie can't appreciate these quilts!” Then she said, “She'd probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use".

This showed how Dee made herself look foolish and uneducated is, when they are leaving, she tells her mother that she just doesn't understand. When her mother asks what she doesn't understand, Dee replied, "your heritage". When the mother and Maggie are aware of heritage, they know exactly where they came from and are still living that life. Dee feels that she can tell her mother where she came from? Indeed, Alice Walker skillfully crafts the character of Dee much to admire such as successful, glamorous, and living in a life full of opportunities. She achieves her education with many obstacles in her path, has strong determination and "was determined to stare down any disaster in her efforts." She was certain about her acts, and "hesitation was no part of her nature". However, at the end of the story, she is contemptible because even at this age she remains immature. She has not grown up from her childish self-centeredness but continue to live in a state of ingratitude, self-importance, and selfishness.