Relationship change Essay Example for Free

Relationship change Essay 1. Why do Maggie, the first-person narrator, the mother, and Dee do not have a very close relationship? Maggie and mother (on the one hand) and Dee on the other do not have a good relationship because of their differing beliefs about the function of heritage and culture. Dee’s arrogance has led her away from her roots, and her belief about the relics of their heritage is to place them on show. Her mother and sister, on the other hand, are one with their heritage and believe they should continue to practice their traditions. What do the quilts and the butter churn symbolize? The quilts and butter churn are the symbols of the heritage that Dee would like to put on display, but which Maggie and their mother would like to continue to embrace and use. 3. How would you describe Maggie and Moms interaction? Maggie and her mother understood each other well and agreed in their perspective toward their situation and history. They were close, as both felt themselves distanced in their â€Å"ignorance† from the station to which Dee supposed herself to have risen. Maggie read to her mother and it comforted her, which is in contrast to the inferiority Dee made them both feel when she used to read to them. Maggie’s mother feels protective of her, and knows that she understands the true meaning of their heritage. This is shown in the way she takes the quilts from Dee and turns them over firmly to Maggie. 4. By what incident was Maggie traumatized? Maggie was traumatized when she was burned badly in a fire that consumed the house the family had previously live in. 5. Does Maggie and Moms relationship change throughout the story? If yes, why does the relationship change? The relationship between Maggie and her mother deepen near the end of the story when her mother realizes the sacrificial nature that Maggie has. She comes to understand how many things have been reserved for Dee and yet how few have ever been reserved for Maggie. The mother perceives a lack of entitlement in her character—that is, Maggie never feels anything should rightly happen in her favor. The two become closer when the mother begins trying to bolster the girl’s self esteem by making her believe her feelings are worth denying Dee some of her desires.