Thoughts on "Everyday Use"

In Alice Walker's short story "Everyday use", the everyday use of the family's quilt has Mama come to a new realization. Her older daughter Dee has forgotten about her heritage as African and possibly never really learned about her family history. In the beginning of the story the favoritism of the older child is clearly seen, but it later gives way to the younger. Dee wants things from her mother's home, including the quilt, to display in her home. While her younger sister, who knows much about their family history and skills, was finally given the favored position that she never had before. Mama chooses to give it to the younger, because her promise and that the younger would actually put it to "Everyday Use".

Favoritism spoils the favored child and blinds the caregivers to the effects. These effects are seen in the poor self image of the younger sister and the rude attitude of the older.

Can favoritism be done in a way that doesn't leave someone disadvantaged and the other possibly adopting a distorted view of life? Favor should not be determined by looks or smarts, but should be equal on all children, despite the desire to invest in what seems to hold the higher profit of investment.

Thoughts on "A Good Man is Hard to Find"

Flannery O'Connor wrote a short story named "A Good Man is Hard to Find", which seems to center itself in the perspective of the grandma and the dialog of the grandma and the Misfit. A family heads to Florida on a trip from Atlanta, Georgia. Passing through the state of Georgia that takes a short detour which costs them an accident. The children yell, "We've had an accident!", but one of them sadly states that, "nobody's killed".

What a statement to come from a kid. But the statement will be proven false in a few minutes when they meet three strangers.

The grandma tries to find a good man in the Misfit through their conversation, but there isn't one to be found, therefore,  "A Good Man is Hard to find".

They are all murdered a the story ends proving the title.