Why does Maggie genuinely smile at the end of "Everyday Use"?

The short story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker is set in the deep south. It's narrated by an African American woman called Mama, who has two daughters. The younger daughter, Maggie, was injured and severely traumatized by a fire that destroyed their earlier home. The older daughter, Dee, is attractive, intelligent, and at the time the story opens has already moved away from home.

The story concerns a visit that Dee makes with her partner, who is known as Hakim-a-barber. Mama is unsure whether the couple is married or not. When they arrive, Dee is very pretentious about her African heritage, wearing a brilliantly-colored dress and announcing that she has changed her name. As in the past, she overshadows her sister Maggie, causing Maggie to withdraw as usual. After they all share a meal together, Dee goes around the house and gathers things that she wants to take with her. They are practical items, but it seems that Dee wants to display them as artwork.

Dee opens a trunk, takes out two quilts, and declares that she will take them. The quilts are heirlooms made by the girls' grandmother. Mama says she has promised them to Maggie. Dee gets angry and says that Maggie will only use them for sleeping and will ruin them, while she will display them as part of their heritage. Mama grabs the quilts from Dee and gives them to Maggie. As she leaves, Dee is obviously upset.

Maggie smiles a genuine smile not because Mama gave her the quilts; she had already offered to give them up to Dee. The real reason she smiles is because Mama has stood up for her against her overbearing sister. This gives her a feeling of pride, self-worth, and camaraderie with her mother.

Maggie has spent her entire life living in the shadow of her sister, Dee. Burned in a fire, Maggie carries the physical scars as a reminder of her struggles. She isn't as smart as Dee or as beautiful as her. Dee often treats Maggie like a project, trying to educate her and their mother by forcing them to listen the lessons she learned at the special school in Augusta:

She used to read to us without pity; forcing words, lies, other folks' habits, whole lives upon us two, sitting trapped and ignorant underneath her voice. She washed us in a river of make believe, burned us with a lot of knowledge we didn't necessarily need to know.

Maggie has learned to exist in this shadow, deferring to her sister's desires and whims. She is quiet and exists in the background of life; even their mother describes Maggie has resembling a "dog run over by some careless person ... sid[ling] up to someone who is ignorant enough to be kind."

When Dee lays claim to the family's heirloom quilts, Maggie has no reason to think that her sister won't leave with them. Dee has always gotten exactly what she wants. Her personality demands it. Yet this time, Mama firmly tells Dee that she has promised the quilts to Maggie. It is perhaps the only time in her life that Maggie has been gifted something that her sister wanted.

Thus, Maggie smiles. Part of her smile reflects an authentic appreciation for possessing the family quilts, which have a much deeper personal meaning for her than they do for Dee. Another part of this smile is a reflection of one victory in life for Maggie—and one defeat in life for Dee. As it turns out, Dee can't have everything in life that she wants.

Why is Maggie content at the end of "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker?

Mama in "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker narrates the story of a visit from her oldest daughter who has been away from home for a while. Mama is not only the narrator but the protagonist as well. She loves both of the her daughters; however, they are as different as night and day.

The story takes place during the 1970s when Black Pride, Black Power, and Black Muslims were beginning to take hold in the African-American community. Mama and Maggie live in a very small almost shack-like house.

Dee, the oldest daughter, was never satisfied at home. She wanted things, and she was going to get them. When their house burned down, Dee was not unhappy because she hated it.  Although she was pretty and attractive, Dee did not try to fit in. This was not where she wanted to be.

Mama dreams about having a relationship with Dee.  She imagines being reunited with her on a television show.

Maggie was severely injured when the house burned.  She is extremely shy and ashamed of the burns on her arms and legs. Neither sister particularly likes each other.  When Maggie was in the fire, Dee did nothing to help her or show any concern.  Today,  her nerves are on edge because Dee is coming.  One more thing that bugs Maggie is that she believes that Mama never could tell Dee "No."

When Dee comes, Maggie and Mama are sitting on the front porch.  Dee is overdressed like a South African woman.  She announces that she is no longer Dee but Wangero her new African name or Black Muslim name.

After a big supper that Dee enjoys, she begins to snoop around looking at different things around the house. 

'That's it!" she said. 'I knew there was something I wanted to ask you if I could have.This churn top is what I need," she said. "Didn't Uncle Buddy whittle it out of a tree you all used to have?"

'Yes,' I said.

 'Un huh,' she said happily. "And I want the dasher, too.'

Dee had never liked her mother's things. Suddenly, she spies a chest. Rummaging through it, she finds two quilts that had been hand made by two of the grandmothers. Mama was a girl and she helped put the quilting in.  Some of the material went back to the Civil War.

Dee asks if she can have them.  These quilts are part of Mama's heritage.  They represent her ancestors. Little pieces of ancestor's clothes are part of them. Dee did not care about them. She was going to hang them on the wall to show her African heritage.

Mama has had enought of Dee's foolishness.  "I promised those quilts to Maggie. You can take one of the others that I made."

Dee does not want those. "Maggie will put these on the bed for everyday use." Maggie comes out of the kitchen and tells Mama that Dee can have them. Mama grabs them out of  Dee's hands and plops them into Maggie's lap.

Mama says: "They are Maggies."

Dee greatly resents this.  She grabs up her things. Finally, she tells Maggie she needs to make something of herself.

For the first time, Mama looks hard at Maggie.  She knows the Johnson family history. She loved the grandmothers that made these quilts.  Mama reaches to Maggie and hugs her. 

Maggie smiled...a real smile, not scared. After we watched the car dust settle I asked Maggie to bring me a dip of snuff. And then the two of us sat there just enjoying, until it was time to go in the house and go to bed.

This was an important day for Maggie.  Mama stood up to Dee. For the first time, she felt loved by her mother.  Maggie's smile was real and came from the heart.  The quilts were hers.

Why is Maggie content at the end of "Everyday Use"?

In "Everyday Use," Maggie is content at the end of the short story after she is given the old family quilts by her mother, who has given them to Maggie rather than to Maggie's sister, Dee. Maggie and Dee both grew up in the small farmhouse, but the sisters' lives played out very differently. Maggie was severely burned from the house fire, while Dee remained unscathed. Maggie embraced her small town and rural life, while Dee became determined to move on to a more dynamic, exciting life. Maggie received little education, while Dee chose to attend college. At college, Dee became a part of the black cultural nationalist movement of the time.

Upon returning home for a visit, Dee explains to Mama and Maggie that she intends to take some of the items from the home to display them in her own home as pieces of black folk art. She sees the items as sources of pride and cultural art. Maggie and Mama, however, understand that the items, such as a butter churner and quilts, are not just examples of their blackness but are also intimately part of their family and individual experiences. They are items to be used and appreciated for what they are, rather than only for what they represent on an artistic/cultural level. When Dee tries to take the handmade quilts that have been contributed to for generations, Mama snatches the quilts back and hands them to Maggie, who she knows will actually use them as quilts, and will truly appreciate their sentimental value. Maggie smiles at the end of the story as she and Mama enjoy each other's presence and the quiet comfort of their rural life, as Dee and her boyfriend drive away.