Griffin Carew
9/26/07
Intro to Literature
“Everyday Use”

“Everyday Use”

4. Q: Does the mother’s refusal to let Dee have the quilts indicate a permanent or temporary change of character? Why does she do it now? What details in the story prepare for and foreshadow that refusal?
A: The mother’s refusal to let Dee have the quilts indicates a permanent change of character. The mother finally drew a line in the sand and is going to start saying no to Dee. The reason the mother decides to say no now is because she feels guilty and fed up. Dee just decides to change her name she was given at birth and just does it without ever thinking about how anyone else would feel. I felt that pushed the mother over the edge. There for a few details in the story they prepare for and foreshadow the refusal. When the speaker tells you about the TV shows where the girl is told no and she is shocked because she is always told yes. Also the fact that Maggie is the little sister who always is quiet and it seems she hears the word no a lot more than her sister, maybe because of her sister. Also the fact that they say the world never learned to say the word “no” to Dee.