Identity & Heritage

Some of the conflict and differences between me, Dee and Maggie is our own perspectives in our identity and our heritage. First, my identity is a large scale woman who can do a man's job and a woman's job. I am a black woman who knows what it's like to live a hard life, but that life is what made me who I am. How do I see my heritage? I see it was appreciating all the hard work that others before me like my sister, my mother, my grandmother, my great-grandmother and so on. I appreciate the hard work that my uncles and grandfather's put into making things for the house, for everyone to use every day. It's small things that everyone did, like others before them, that helped us survive and live a good life, even if that life did not measure up to what others would describe as a good life.
Dee's identity is a woman who grew up in a world with many limitations and barriers and she was and is strong enough to break through them. She took the meager things she was given and made them into useful possessions of hers. She is also a follower of the latest trends in fashion. She likes to be "cool" and "in style" and she has been since she was younger. Her heritage is something she thinks she can appreciate in possessions, not in thought and remembrance. It's safe to say that I, Dee and Maggie liked the quilts, but all in different ways.
Maggie's identity is defined by the scars on her body. She hides from people, even her sister, because she is ashamed of what her body looks like. She doesn't like to get attention drawn to her and she only speaks up when absolutely necessary. Maggie's heritage is similar to mine. We both appreciate the hard work that was put into "things", but Maggie appreciates the people who made them more then the actual "thing". Take for example the quilts. Maggie really wanted the quilts, not for the use of them, but for the memory of her grandmother. While she would have wanted the quilts to remember her grandma, Maggie can easily remember her with out them.
Me and Maggie are used to the older way of life, and we do things and live our lives similar to those before us. This way of life works for us. Dee on the other hand feels trapped in the old fashioned way of life and wants out as soon as possible. She wants the possessions of our heritage, but wants no part in living out our heritage.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/30741/the_women_in_alice_walkers_short_story.html?page=2

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/45237/black_america_and_double_consciousness.html