... " (68). Wangero says, "I couldn't bear it any longer, being named after the people who oppressed me" (68). Unbeknownst to Dee, she was named after aunt Dicie, who was named after Grandma Dee, who was named after her mother (68). Dee denied a name that was handed down through each generation to represent their strong family ties. Dee's confusion about the meaning of ... she couldn't bear the name of those same women that stitched the quilt together, why did she want them so badly? It becomes apparent when Dee sets her eyes upon Grandma Dee's butter dish. "That's it!" she said "I knew ther...

• Word Count: 1115
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... who oppress me." Mrs. Johnson is confused by this reasoning, explaining that Dee was named for her aunt Dicie, also known as Big Dee, who in turn was named after Grandma Dee who was named after her mother. We now know that while "Dee" may not be an African name, it is a familial, ancestral name, an African-American one that is ... whittled by her uncles years before and which she intends to use as a centerpiece for her alcove table. Then she discovers two handmade quilts that had been pieced by her Grandma Dee and quilted by her mother and Big Dee. They were made from scraps of her gran...

• Word Count: 672
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... your aunt Dicie, " I said. Dicie is my sister. She named Dee. We called her "Big Dee " after Dee was born. "But who was she named after? " asked Wangero. "I guess after Grandma Dee, " I said. "And who was she named after? " asked Wangero. "Her mother, " I said, and saw Wangero was getting tired. "That's about as far back as I can trace it, " I said. Though ... . Dee covetous nature shows that she did not care about the significance of inheriting the butter churn as an iconic value. "Then she gave a sign and her hand closed over Grandma Dee's butter dish. That's it! she said. I knew there...

• Word Count: 1723
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... them to everyday use. The second level of meaning in the title can be the two sisters have different ideas when it comes to their culture. From down the line Grandma Dee and Big Dee created their quilts for everyday use and that's what Maggie wants to continue. Dee actually is putting the quilts to everyday use also by having them ... quilts to stay grounded in her family. Walker wants us to recognize what we have and not show it off to the world. Maggie should have stood up for herself, Grandma Dee and Big Dee. She comes from a line of quilters and she should be proud of that. Dee is j...

• Word Count: 648
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... nervous about her sister's visit. Maggie was not even able to confront Dee about wanting the quilts. She was so use to giving in to Dee she said "I can "member Grandma Dee without the quilts", just so Dee could have them. Unlike Maggie, Dee is a Henry 2 bold young woman. Her mother said "She was determined to stare down any disaster in ... ...

• Word Count: 550
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... to be leaders. The conflict in this story is the quilt and how two different generations wanted to embrace that heritage. As we so clearly saw that Maggie, ""can "member Grandma Dee without the quilts."" (Walker, pg. 876, paragraph 74). She said this because she has the ability to quilt as her Grandmother Dee and Aunt Dee. Dee on the other ... ...

• Word Count: 271
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

... " and as a consequence she will never make anything of herself. Maggie may not understand what Dee means by "heritage" buth seh "knows how to quilt" and furthermoer she "can' member Grandma Dee without the quilts" These quilts, which have become an heirloom, not only represent the family, but are an integral part of the family. Dee covets the quilts for their ... ...

• Word Count: 314
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

... have the butter churn and the dasher which were both hand carved by Uncle Henry. After dinner Wangero takes it and asks if she could also have the quilts that Grandma Dee and the mother had made. The mother denies Wangero's request because the mother had promised to give the blankets to Maggie when she married John Thomas. This makes Dee ... ...

• Word Count: 503
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... take some different quilts. However, she refuses to take the other quilts because they were made by a machine. She only wants Maggie's quilts because they were hand made by their Grandma Dee. She tells her mother "you don't understand your heritage." Dee wants the quilts, so she can hang them as a display of her heritage, and does not think Maggie is ... ...

• Word Count: 929
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... . "I don't want those. They are stitched around the borders by machine." "That"ll make them last better," I said. "That's not the point," said Wangero. "These are all pieces of dresses Grandma used to wear. She did all this stitching by hand. Imagine! She held the quilts securely in her arms, stroking them. (Walker 703)" Wangero tried to connect to her heritage ... ...

• Word Count: 1393
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... the stories of their ancestors as far back as she can remember stored in her brain. When they are discussing the quilts Mama recollects, "They had been pieced together by Grandma Dee and then Big Dee and me had hung them on the quilt frames on the front porch and quilted them,"(361-362). The quilts don't have any sentimental value ... ...

• Word Count: 574
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... , ""Hang them!" As if that were the only thing you could do with quilts" (94). The reason that Maggie wanted the quilts is because she would be reminded of her Grandma Dee every time she saw them, but that is not why her sister wanted them. Dee wanted to hang them on the wall so she would be reminded of her ... ...

• Word Count: 709
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School