Final answer:
Mama sees Dee as cosmopolitan and detached from family tradition, in contrast to Maggie, who is shy and embodies the heritage Mama values. This difference comes to a head over a family quilt, which Mama gives to Maggie due to her genuine connection to their past.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Alice Walker's "Everyday Use," the narrator, Mama, sees her daughters Dee and Maggie in starkly different lights. Dee is viewed as bold, educated, and assertive, seeking to embrace a more cosmopolitan identity, which Mama sees as a departure from their family's traditions.
Maggie, on the other hand, is portrayed as shy, connected to the homestead, embodying the living heritage that Mama values. The central tension arises when Dee wants to take a family quilt as a cultural artifact rather than for its sentimental and practical everyday use, as Maggie would. Mama ultimately sides with Maggie, valuing the continuity of family legacy over Dee’s more superficial appreciation of heritage.