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  • Essay / Sibling rivalry: the love/hate relationship between brothers and sisters

    Spending quality time with close family members, including bonding experiences and sharing moments of laughter "on the floor", will always be appreciated. But unfortunately, not every family can enjoy this pleasure. Sibling rivalry and competition often leads to physical and verbal altercations. Many researchers offer their opinions on why siblings fight and propose different solutions to the problem, but because science has barely addressed the issue, it's difficult to understand exactly. “Research has rarely addressed when and why siblings fight, nor has there been much research from the children's perspective” (Prochaska 1985). This is clear in the short story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker, where certain blessings and emotional support are in short supply, negatively affecting one of the children. I argue that the search for identity also creates problems within sibling rivalry. The main issues that create imbalance in families within siblings are jealousy, self-identity and emotional support. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an 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 in this regard. The mother, a committed single mother, fulfilled both the obligations of man and woman in this bizarre family. She did her best to consider her two young daughters, but Dee and Maggie clashed in both personality and desires. The essential individual perspective from the mother's point of view provides insight into the internal components of the family that would not otherwise be seen. A true judgment of character and personality must be made after an extended period of time. This is why the mother's observations of her daughters are acceptable. Examining his young wife, Maggie, the mother says, "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 nice to him? This is how my Maggie walks” (Walker). The comparison and rhetorical question presented by the mother present Maggie in a different light of pity. Maggie is portrayed as a simple, scarred girl who is regularly stepped on and taken for granted. The compassion felt towards Maggie contrasts with the depiction of Dee who is said to wear "a dress so garish it hurt my eyes... It (the hair) is as black as night and at the edges is find two long mats that wrap around it. like little lizards disappearing behind his ears” (Walker). Also using a simile, Dee's true nature is revealed. The unpleasant, disorienting and spoiled attitude of this young woman is emphasized by the representation of the dress. Sibling rivalry could have arisen purely from aspects of personality, but even the mother could see that true contempt began with inheritance. Dee has always focused on material wealth. “Dee wanted nice things. A yellow organdy dress to wear to your high school graduation; black pumps to match a green suit she made from an old suit someone gave me. She was determined to avoid any disaster in her efforts” (Walker). Dee received everything, including beauty,..