quilt before she left for college, she said they were, “ ‘ old-fashion, out of style’ ” (Walker 286). Yet upon returning home, Dee decides that she must display the “priceless quilts” (Walker 286) in her home to ensure that heritage of the quilts is preserved. However, she does not understand the true heritage of the quilts, a fact revealed by Dee when she says that Maggie is “ ‘ backward enough to put them to everyday use’ ” (Walker 285). The irony of Dee-Wangero Leewanika-Johnson is evidenced by her ignorance of the true meaning of the quilts. The continued everyday use of the quilts by Maggie ensures that the heritage embodied in the quilts lives on. Momma and Maggie demonstrate lucid understanding of their family’s heritage despite lacking the education that Dee prizes above all else.The painful evidence presented by Dee against her family’s lifestyle is an irrefutable testament to her insecurity. Dee will never possess the peace of mind that her family owns in abundance, so she bounces from trend to trend seeking solace. Unfortunately, Dee is so overpowering that Momma cannot realize the treasure in her own life. Momma admires Dee and desires to be the mother Dee will respect. A great irony exists because Dee has the intellect to discover true peace, while Momma has true peace but not the intelligence to realize it. Many young intellects become entrapped by the lifestyle of the university, and therefore lose touch with their past and their true identity. This problem is compounded when the gap between the intellect of the parent and the child is immense. Prior to the 1960’s, many believed that following in the footsteps of their family was the best course of action. In total contrast, the generation of the 1960’s and generations since believe that the wisest course of action is to separate themselves from their past. The case of Black A...
