Character Analysis Essay on Mama in ‘Everyday Use’

Need help with assignments?

Our qualified writers can create original, plagiarism-free papers in any format you choose (APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, etc.)

Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.

Click Here To Order Now

…. Mama is the personification of the super-ego. The reader judges and labels the personality of her two girls through her eyes because she is the story’s narrator, and this is dependent on her own acquired morals. Maggie’s self-conscious spurs Mama’s superego to reject Dee’s identity not because Dee is wicked or observant but because she’s given up so much culture to get to where she is and her desire to hang the quilt impacts Mama who feels it’s not the correct thing to do. Her inner monologue, both gentle and harsh, shows us the boundaries of a mother’s unconditional love.

Mama’s judgment of Dee and Maggie is completely honest and often harsh. Maggie’s quiet, withering limits are brutally described, prompting an even harsher assessment from Dee. Mama dislikes Dee’s increased education, refinement, and appearance of superiority over the years. The mother’s acceptance of Dee’s actions reveals her poor self-esteem and appreciation for her daughter’s character. She characterizes herself as follows: ‘ In real life, I am a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands. ‘ Her dream, on the other hand, reveals that she despises both her appearance and her existence. She fantasizes about appearing on a TV program with her daughter Dee, looking 100 pounds lighter and with prettier hair. This dream represents her feelings of inadequacy and her desire to improve.

Mama refused a traditional gender role when she labored to raise and provide for her daughters and adopted an alternative, male character, just as Dee does when she renames herself ‘Wangero.’ She takes pride in her toughness and skill in butchering pigs and milk cows. Dee practically turns her back on the house, which is considered a female space, in the story. It restricts her too much, she believes. Mama has shortage broad view of the world and is intimidated by Dee, despite her desire to engage outside of traditions. She doesn’t comprehend Dee’s life, and her inability to comprehend causes her to mistrust Dee. Mama perceives Dee’s new character as a rejection of her family and her origins, while Dee sees it as freeing. It’s no surprise that she identifies Maggie as the family’s heir to the family’s heritage.

To conclude, The mind’s conscience is the superego. Mama, the storyteller, obviously symbolizes the superego element of the mental structure in the story. because of her desires to be ideal, both physically and mentally, and Her conscience is guilty

Need help with assignments?

Our qualified writers can create original, plagiarism-free papers in any format you choose (APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, etc.)

Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.

Click Here To Order Now