Through centuries of American history and the perspectives of different generations, how are education and family heritage and oppression...

byis a
story of contrasts.  These differences dominate the story thematically.  The story takes place
in  the early 1970s in the rural south. The narrator is Mrs. Johnson, the mother of Dee and
Maggie.

The author never explains the lack of a father figure in the Johnson
family; however, with no education and two daughters to raise, Mama struggles to be a single
parent.  Serving as the first person narrator of the story, Mama has worked hard to provide for
her family. The repression in the story stems from these motifs: education versus no education
and African legacy versus family legacy.

Oppression infiltrates the Johnson
family. Mama, a single parent with no skills, has worked hard. Dee, the oldest daughter,
represents the new black generation. This group is better educated, self-superior, and 
superficial in understanding the harsh past of their ancestors. Dees education was paid by Mamas
church which prepared her for the work world....