Picture this, a young beautiful girl smiling, standing by a big gum tree. On the surface you would think that this picture is a happy one. But then you look at what she is looking at, a fire. But not just any fire, a fire that is of her house. But not just her house is burning down, her mother and sister are in the fire also. Even though her family and huse is burniong down to the ground, we just see her staring at the fire not doing anything and not being paniced. Somehow this picture does not seem right, it is a bit disturbing. In Alice Walkers Everyday Use (For Your Grandma), this picture is presented to the reader from a story told by the mother. This fire, this one event leads one to belief that it was the start of the downfall of the mothers control and the beginning of Dees power. But is it?There are three characters in the story, A mom, Maggie, and Dee. The story is told from the mothers perspective so we only get her view. Therefore having to trust that what she views is the right thing. From the begining we sense that the Mother has an issue with Dee. The story starts off with a dream that the Mom is having about her and Dee reuniting. The dream is a happy one but then she says that she will never be what Dee wants her to be. So right from the beginning, we get a sense that Dee is not satisfied with her mother at all. Then the mother says, I am the way my daughter wants me to be: a hundred pounds lighter, my skin like an uncooked barley pancake. My hair glistens in the hot bright lights. (292-3). From the beginning Dee wanted her and her family to be the best of the best, but hey were not. Maggie is also described as not being execeptionally beautiful. In fact, she is described as looking like a lame animal. She walks like she has been left on the side of the road, . . .chin on chest, eyes on the grouund, feet in shuffle.(292-3). Then we have a description of Dee, Dee is lighter then Maggie, with nicer hair and a fuller fig...
