Whenever Mom talks about herself or Maggie there is always a tone of negativity. Dee is light skinned and has nice hair unlike Maggie. Mom compares Maggie to a dog hit by a car. He speaks contemptuously of Maggie's looks, wit, and education. She does not say anything positive about herself nor does she feel worthy of being considered an equal in society. Mom and Maggie are uneducated but have a strong sense of tradition and their African-American heritage. When talking about herself in reference to how Dee would like her to be, she states “I am like my daughter would like me to be: fifty pounds lighter, my skin like an uncooked barley pancake. My hair shines in the warm bright lights” (Walker 315). This is to say that the mother feels that Dee would like her to be fairer and thinner, to mold herself into what Dee and society deem acceptable. It is clear throughout the story that Dee has a sense of superiority over her