At this moment in “Everyday Use,” Mama had been “hit” with a deep understanding of the nature of her two daughters, and with the knowledge of who the rightful owner of the quilts was. Hearing Maggie say that her sister can have the quilts makes her mother realize that Maggie, who expects nothing and stays by her mother’s side as a dutiful daughter, is the one who deserves everything. She is struck, on the other hand, by Dee’s selfishness and lack of understanding of why the quilts have such significance.

She realizes that Dee, who has moved away and pursued a life of greatness, even changing her name without realizing that this was a rejection of her family, does not understand the value of the quilts or what they should be used for. This epiphany causes Mama to speak up for her younger daughter and to tell Dee in no uncertain terms that the quilts, which Dee wants to use to provide a decorative showpiece in her home, will be staying with Maggie.

It seems that this epiphany leads Maggie to a realization of her own: a realization that she matters, that her opinions count, and that she should not allow herself to be bullied by her overbearing, seemingly sophisticated sister.

Mama herself doesn't seem to know quite what this "something" is, but we can guess from her response to it. Upon hearing Maggie say that her sister can have the quilts, because she can remember her grandmother without them, Mama is overwhelmed with the desire to hug her younger daughter. It is as if she has suddenly realized, in this moment, that fearful Maggie is actually the much worthier daughter, and yet she expects nothing—she believes her "portion" in life is to be second place to her sister, and yet it is Maggie who knows how to quilt the way her foremothers did, and therefore it is Maggie who will be the true preserver of the family's heritage, not Dee, who does not understand what heritage really is, or what the quilts should be used for. Overwhelmed by compassion for Maggie, Mama decides to reward her for her selfless, uncomplaining nature, and punish Dee for her selfish one, by gifting the quilts to Maggie.

In response to Mama's epiphany, we can certainly see a change in Maggie, too. Perhaps it is not an epiphany of the same kind, but now she smiles "a real smile, not scared." Her mother having taken her side against her sister, Maggie is filled with a new courage, and perhaps a new understanding of what she is worth.

Dee's terrible selfishness and the ownership that she has asserted over the quilts that she once rejected, over the heritage represented by those quilts (that she's also never cared about before and doesn't really care about now), "hits" mama and she will not allow Dee to make off with the things that are of far more importance to Maggie.  Maggie knows how to...