"'She'd probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use.'" - Dee, Everyday Use pg. 180
Dee returns home as a walking contradiction. She changed her name to be more authentic African, since she's trying to get in touch with her heritage. However, she completely disowns her family's African American heritage. She thinks her sister will put to good use the quilts that her ancestors have made. It's almost a metaphor for her life. She wants to embrace her heritage in her own way, but she doesn't accept other people's views. She is also only doing all of that at her convenience. She only cares about her family when she feels like it. That is why I am not a huge fan of her character. No one truly embrace who they are unless they know about their past- true. BUT, they also have to take into consideration their childhood, family, home, and simply their experience of growing up. For that reason, Dee is being hypocritical. Her mother has a right to be fed up with her after listening to her disown her family name, but then act as though she's supreme because of her "authentic African-ness".
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