Dee's Struggle for an Identity

"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker

In "Everyday Use", Walker juxtaposes two groups of characters: the humble, caring duo of Maggie and Mama and the intellectually egotistical hipsters Dee (or Wangero) and Asalamalakim (or Hakim-a-barber).  Throughout the story, Mama and Maggie care for their family, their home, and the memories made in it.  Their affection is genuine and pure.  Dee, however, after having left a life with Mama and Maggie for college and the outside world, values her deep African heritage over sentimentality toward her relatives.  This concern for her far-reaching roots in African culture came from a social movement encouraging African Americans to embrace their true cultures to get revenge against white oppression.  However, in joining this movement, Dee became even more of an arrogant hipster and lost sight of what truly matters: her family, Mama and Maggie.  Accordingly, Mama and Dee come into conflict when Dee, overlooking all sentimental value these objects might hold, wants to take some things from around the house so that she can "think of something artistic to do" with them to promote her new movement and identity (Walker).  Mama draws the line when Dee attempts to take two personally crafted quilts intended for Maggie simply because they are "priceless" representations of the African culture Dee is so engrossed with (Walker).  Dee, or Wangero if going by her African name, has simply lost sight of what shaped her into who she is.  Having refused to give the quilts to Dee, Mama embraces Maggie and watches as her other daughter departs.  From this story, Walker emphasizes that to find one's true identity, he or she must not go searching for.  One's identity can be found in one's childhood, family, upbringing, and sentimental memories.  In her search to find herself, Dee lost sight of all of those things.