- Dee's internal conflict:
Dee is torn between her desire to embrace her African heritage and her desire to assimilate into white culture. She changes her name from "Maggie" to "Dee," wears her hair in an Afro, and adopts African clothing. However, she also speaks with a fake Southern accent and is more interested in the material possessions of white culture than in the cultural traditions of her ancestors.
- Maggie's internal conflict:
Maggie is also struggling with her identity. She is proud of her African heritage, but she is also aware of the racism and discrimination that black people face in America. She wants to be successful and respected, but she does not want to give up her identity in order to achieve those things.
- Mama's internal conflict:
Mama is caught in the middle of Dee and Maggie's conflict. She loves both of her daughters, but she does not always understand them. She wants them to be happy and successful, but she also wants them to stay true to their African heritage.
These internal conflicts are explored through the characters' interactions with each other and with the objects that they value.
- For example, Dee's desire for the quilts that her grandmother made symbolizes her desire to claim her African heritage.
- Maggie's reluctance to give up the quilts symbolizes her fear of losing her identity.
- Mama's struggle to decide who should get the quilts symbolizes her love for both of her daughters and her desire for them to be happy and successful.
The internal conflicts in Everyday Use reflect the complex social and cultural issues that African Americans faced in the 1970s.
- They also show how individual identity is shaped by the intersection of race, class, and gender.