“She thinks her sister has held life always in the palm of one hand, that “no” is a word the world never learned to say to her.” (Walker 124) is a quote from Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use, suggesting that sibling rivalry is a strong, but silent current running through the sibling relationship in her story. As I read this quote I wondered how prevalent sibling rivalry was between Maggie and Dee. Maggie was the one suggesting Dee had never been told “no” by the world so Maggie must be the sister who held all of the jealousy. The quote also suggested that Dee provoked or alienated Maggie into thinking these things about their relationship.
As I read the rest of “Everyday Use” I realized the text did agree with what I believed about Maggie. She was the sister who was considered less pretty. She was also the sister who received less positive attention and it made her jealous of Dee, causing a rivalry. Even others make observations about Maggie and how she is worth less than Dee, as the sister’s mother expresses on page 125: “Have you ever seen a lame animal, perhaps a dog run over by some careless person rich enough to own a car, sidle up to someone who is ignorant enough to be kind to him? This is the way my Maggie walks. . . . She knows she is not bright. Like good looks and money, quickness passes her by.” (Walker). Maggie’s mother narrates this in the story as the two stand in the yard waiting for Dee, the prettier and more desirable daughter. She continues comparing the two, stating that Dee “is lighter than Maggie, with nicer hair and a fuller figure. She’s a woman now.” Sibling rivalry remains and Maggie does seem to envy Dee but as the story goes on it seems clearer that the Dee’s real motivation is to get away, not just from Maggie, but from everything about her roots. She attends school away from home, returning in a dress that, according to the mother, “is so loud it hurts my eyes.” (Walker 126). Dee even changes her name in an effort to get away from her roots. This quote, along with several other passages in the story let it be known that she has spent most of her life trying to escape the socioeconomic status of her family in order to achieve something greater.
Though I found the story dry I enjoyed reading it. Typically I enjoy more vibrant readings. However, the multiple themes of the story did keep my interested. I did not like Dee’s attitude toward her family or her upbringing but I found her relatable; many people are conflicted about how they grew up. Many people can also relate to sibling rivalry as well as Maggie’s ability to stay humble despite her sister’s high ambitions. With that in mind I would read something like this or something by this author again and I would recommend this story to anybody who is looking for something new to read that will keep their interest and make them reevaluate their family life.
References
Walker, Alice. "Everday Use." Seltzer, Jack and Dominic Delli Carpini. Conversations Readings for Writings. Newyork: Pearson, 2009. 123-130.
