Topic > Sibling Rivalry: The Love/Hate Relationship Between Siblings

Spending quality time with immediate family members, including bonding experiences and sharing moments of laughter “on the floor,” will always be appreciated. But unfortunately not all families can experience this pleasure. Sibling rivalry and competition often lead to physical and verbal altercations. Many researchers express their opinion about why brothers fight and provide different solutions to the problem, but since science has barely touched the issue, it is difficult to understand exactly. “Research has rarely touched on when and why siblings fight, nor has much research been conducted from children's perspectives” (Prochaska 1985). This is clear in the short story “Everyday Use,” by Alice Walker, where some blessings and emotional support are in short supply, negatively affecting one of the children. I argue that the search for personal identity also creates problems among sibling rivalry. The main issues that create an imbalance in families within siblings are jealousy, personal identity and emotional support. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Every parent has a limited proportion of time, essentials and money to accommodate all their children. The mother in Walker's Everyday Use is not an extraordinary case by this standard. The mother, a busy single parent, fulfills the obligations of both the man and the woman of the bizarre family. He did his best to consider his two young women, but Dee and Maggie clashed in both personality and desires. The essential individual perspective from the mother's perspective offers a glimpse into the internal components of the family that would otherwise not be visible. A true judgment of character and personality must be made after a long period of time. This is why the remarks the mother has about her daughters are acceptable. Examining her young woman, Maggie, the mother states, “Have you ever seen a lame animal, perhaps a dog run over by a careless person rich enough to own a car, sneak up on someone who is ignorant enough to be kind to him? " That's the way my Maggie walks' (Walker). The simile and rhetorical question shown by the mother shows Maggie in another light of pity. Maggie is described as a simple, scarred girl who is routinely passed over and taken for granted. The compassion felt towards Maggie contrasts with the depiction of Dee who is said to be dressed in "A dress so gaudy it hurts my eyes... It (the hair) is black as night and around the edges are two long braids that they wrap around." like little lizards disappearing behind his ears' (Walker). Even using a simile reveals Dee's true nature. The unpleasant, misguided and spoiled attitude of this young woman is emphasized by the depiction of the dress. Sibling rivalry could have been generated by aspects of personality alone, but even the mother could see that true contempt began with heredity. Dee has always focused on material wealth. “Dee wanted nice things. A yellow organza dress to wear to high school graduation; black pumps to pair with a green dress she made from an old dress someone gave me. She was determined to ignore any disaster in the course of her efforts' (Walker). Dee received everything, including beauty, knowledge, and even most of the money. Dee hated Maggie if at any time she tried to steal something. Since the mother was poor, she was unable to satisfy both children with everything they needed..