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"Dee next. A dress down to the ground, in this hot weather. A dress so loud it hurts my eyes. There are yellows and oranges enough to throw back the light of the sun."
As Dee steps out of the car, Mama offers this vivid description of the African-inspired outfit her daughter is wearing. Not only does her outfit add to her own sense of identity, but its boldness ensures that everyone around her knows of her identity as well. Dee’s clothes are just one example of the way in which she relies on outward appearances to create the cultured persona that she puts on display for others.
"'Well,' I said, stumped. 'What would you do with them?' 'Hang them,' she said. As if that was the only thing you could do with quilts."
Dee’s desire to hang the family quilts on a wall rather than use them reflects her understanding of heritage as something stagnant, immortalized in visual symbols of the past. She views the quilts through this lens, and she appreciates them merely for the way in which their image will enhance her superficial sense of cultural identity. Disagreeing with this assessment, Mama sees past the quilts’ function as a mere signifier and instead views their use as an opportunity to engage with their family history.
