高级英语Everyday Use中Dee的人物分析

OntheCharacterofDeeinEverydayUseAliceWalker’sEverydayUsewaswritteninherearlytime.TheshortstorywaswrittenduringtheheydayoftheBlackPowerMovement.WhenIlearnedEverydayUse,myteachertalkedmuchabouthowtotreattraditionalculture.InAliceWalker’snovel,motherandMaggierepresentthetraditionalcultureofblack,whileDeehighlypraisesthecultureofwhite.Shedidn’tknowaboutthemeaningofthetraditionalcultureofblack.DeeandMaggiehaveextremelycontrastivecharacters:Deebeingsuccessful,beautifulbutarroganttypeofwoman,Maggiebeingsimple-minded,disfiguredandslow.IwillanalyzethecharacterofDeeasfollows:IBeingselfishWhenthehouseburned,“IseeDeestandingoffunderthesweetgumtreesheusedtodiggumoutof;alookofconcentrationonherfaceasshewatchedthelastdingygrayboardofthehousefallintowardthered-hotbrickchimney.Whydon’tyoudoadancearoundtheashes?I’dwantedtoaskher.Shehadhatedthehousethatmuch.”Deewasselfishandshehatedtheoldhouse.Shedidn’ttakehermother’sfeelinginconsideration.Besides,Deeaskedfordasher,churnandquilts.Deerefusedtotakeanothertwoquilts.IIBeingindependentanddeterminedDeewasindependentanddetermined.“Dee,though.Shewouldalwayslookanyoneintheeye.Hesitationwasnotpartofhernature.”HermothercollectedmoneyforDeeandDeewenttothecollege.Sinceshewasveryyoung,shehadgottenridoftheprotectionofhermother.Deehadherownstyle,nomatterwhichtochooseorhowtodo,shehadneveraskedforhelp.IIIBeingarrogantDeedidn’tlikehermotherandherhouse,sosheneverbroughtherfriendsbackhome.Whenshecamebackhome,Shechangedhername“Dee”into“WangeroLeewanikaKemanjo”,atraditionalAfricanname.Besides,shechangedherhairanddressingstyle.Deetookphotosforthehouse,thecowandMaggietoshowtheoldfashionofftoherfriends.Butnowitwasdifferent,Deenotonlytookphotos,butalsotookherboyfriendbackhome.Comparedwithherformerattitudetowardseverydayuse,Deeshowedtremendouscherish.Shewalkedaroundthehousetoseekanythingthathadlonghistory.Inthepast,themotherwantedtogivethequiltstoherelderdaughterDee.ButDeerejectedthemastooold-fashionedandoutofstyle.ThereforethemotherpromisedthequiltstoheryoungerdaughterMaggie.NowDeeaskshermotherforthequiltsandsomemorepiecesoftheirfamilyheritagebecauseshenowregardsthemaspartofherculturalheritage,whichsheintendstohangonthewall.ShewantedtoshowthatsheknewaboutAfricanculture.Soshewasarrogant.Intheend,againsttheexpectationofDee,themotherrefusedherwishandgavethequiltstoMaggie,whowouldhaveagreedtogivethequiltstohersister.Deeleftwithoutapieceofherfamilyheritage,withhermotherbeingsatisfiedwiththeirsimplesouthernlifeandwithhersisterMaggie,whowouldputthequiltstoeverydayuse.Fromthisnovel,weshouldlearntohavearightattitudetoourcultureandknowtherealmeaning.