In the short story Everyday Use, the author, Alice Walker, develops and transforms the attitude of the protagonist, Mama, by adjusting the way she perceives her two daughters, Maggie and Dee. . As one of the most important characters in the story, Mama sets the readers' perspective and point of view because of her important role as the narrator. The plot of the story revolves around the return of Mom's eldest daughter, Dee, as she returns to town from college. Early in the story, Walker gives readers the strong impression that Mom harbors a special preference for her eldest daughter and a sense of shame for her youngest, Maggie. But as the story reaches its climax and eventually ends, Walker radically changes Mom's attitude toward her two daughters, ultimately treating each girl as she truly deserves. Walker's character, Mama, gives readers insight into her thoughts. and the feelings of a traditional African-American mother from the late 1960s to early 1970s. She watched her two daughters become two very different women as they grew up from adolescence. Mom's position in the story is that of a strong parental figure, who has taken on the role of both father and mother to her small family, and her character is a perfect example of Walker's "feminine" views ( “Womanist” by 1). As Mom describes herself, she is clearly self-conscious about her outward appearance but is proud of her own masculine strength. She also states with regret that she was never educated beyond the second grade, stating: “After the second grade, the school was closed. Don’t ask me why: in 1927, mixed-race people asked fewer questions than they do today” (Walker par 13). However, this lack of education has not ... middle of paper ... girls. Walker uses their grandmother's quilt as a piece of their family's past that highlights the girls' best and worst qualities. Once she finally sees Maggie's generous nature, compared to Dee's spoiled and arrogant nature, Mom can't bear to see her youngest daughter lose one of the only things that belongs only to her, to because of his older sister's egocentrism. As the novella comes to a close, the reader can finally feel comfortable knowing that Mom appreciates Maggie's good heart and deserves to be able to hold on to a piece of their "legacy." About.com Women's History. About.com, and Web. February 17, 2014. Walker, Alice. “Daily use.” Literature: an introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and writing. Ed. Kennedy, XJ and Dana Gioia. 11th ed. New York: Pearson-Longman, 2010. 455-461. Print.