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"In real life I am a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands…But of course all this does not show on television. I am the way my daughter would want me to be: a hundred pounds lighter, my skin like an uncooked barley pancake."
After explaining a dream in which she and Dee joyfully reunite on a television show, Mama describes the difference between who she really is and who, in reality, Dee wants her to be. Mama’s identity as a strong, hardworking woman emphasizes her commitment to supporting her family while Dee’s vision of her is superficial and unrealistic. This discrepancy foreshadows the tension that exists between them and their fight over the true meaning of heritage. With her sense of unabashed realism, Mama emphasizes the importance of living authentically.
"I never had an education myself. After second grade the school was closed down. Don’t ask me why: in 1927 colored asked fewer questions than they do now."
Mama reveals that she did not receive a full education after explaining the effort she went to in order to send Dee to school. Although she does not seem to harbor resentment over this missed opportunity, she does express frustration over the way in which Dee uses her education as an excuse to talk down to her and Maggie. Mama’s struggles as a young Black girl growing up in 1920s rural America are ultimately a part of their family history, and Dee’s demeaning attitude toward their way of life disregards just how far her family has come.
