Dee-and-Maggie

DeeandMaggieDeeandMaggiecomingfromEverydayUseforyourgrandmamaaretwosistersofopposingtemperament.Dee,theoldersister,isbornasasuccess:clever,confidentandcharming.WhileMaggieisbornasaloser:clumsy,timidandhomely.DeeisaperfectsculpturethatiselaboratelycarvedbyGodhimself,butMaggieisjustadefectiveone.Consideringcharacter,growthenvironmentandattitudetowardsculture,theyaretwooppositepoles.Intermsofcharacter,DeeismoreaggressivethanMaggie.Shehasatightcontrolofherowndensityandaclearmindaboutwhatshewants.ComparedwithDee,Maggieisalwayscoweringbehindhermotherandtryingherutmosttohideherscarredhands.Sheacceptsitasherlife,nogoodlook,moneyandbrightness.Imaginesuchapicturewherethetwosistersstandtogether:oneisdressingfancyclothes,domineeringandarrogant;theotherisintackyclothes,dopeyandhangdog.Theyareutterlydifferentinnatures.Sowhatisresponsibleforit?Mainlytheirgrowthenvironment.Maggieisavictiminthefirewhichleavesheralotofuglyscarsandmakesherlikealameanimal.Sheisafraidofanystrangerevenhersister.Inherworld,Maggie'smotherappearstobetheonlyoneshecanmakenormalcommunicationwith,whichmightfurthercontributestoMaggie'slowsightandignorance.Onthecontrary,Deegoesoutfromherpoorfamilyandreceiveshighereducation.Meanwhileshegetstheopportunitytoexploretheoutsideworldandmeetvariouspeople.Thebiggestdifferenceliesintheirattitudestowardsculture.Maggieisloyaltoherculture,thoughshemightnotknowwhathercultureis.Everydaysheisenvelopedarounditwhichisrootedinhermindandsoul.Unconsciously,sheisfaithfulinherculture.Dee,however,isatypicalfencesitterintermsofculture.Whenforeigncultureisprevailingsheabandonsallhernativecultureandexhaustsherabilitytoimitateothercultures.Later,shewantstoreturntohernativeculture,butsheonlydoesthesamething:imitation.Shereckonsthatonlyifshewearssomeparticularclothesandoccupiessomecertainarticlescansheblendintheculture.Character,growthenvironmentandattitudetowardsculturearecompletelydifferentinthetwosisters.Allthesethreefactorsshapethesetworadicallydistinctsisters.WorkCited:AliceWalker.EverydayUseforyourgrandmamma.FromInLoveandTrouble:StoriesofBlackWowen,1973