Alice Walker Heritage
In “Everyday Use” Alice Walker shows the hardships and conflicts of African Americans lives during the late twentieth century. The story takes place in the 1960’s, and shows of the social differences that blacks would experience during this black power movement. Many blacks in America don’t think or care about their heritage and ancestry, but some focused on connecting with past roots. Alice Walker shows through the story of the two different ways of dealing with African American pasts and heritage.
At the beginning of the story, Maggie, the narrator’s daughter, shows signs of the scars from slavery. By doing this when we are first introduced to Maggie, it shows that this is going to be a conflict through the story. First, she has scars …show more content…
She wears bright colored dresses that are inappropriate for the weather and also has changed her name to Wangero. Even though her mother accepts her when she said “ She was determined to stare down any disaster in her efforts”(854), she doesn’t accept her attitude and personality when she said “she would always look anyone in the eye”(854). This shows that blacks during this time of the movement are basically reflected by Dee. Dee showed her pride of the movement and also showed how she isn’t certain of the movement. Alot of people during this time are trying to find their inner pride and heritage, but for Dee and most other African Americans during this time it is hard to. Dee is very smart, and has attended college but seems to lack an understanding of her past …show more content…
She seems confused as to what the black power movement actually means. She realizes the people of the movement don’t actually understand what their parents and ancestors actually went through. At the beginning of the story, the mother seems confused on to where she stands in the black power movement.This is because she doesn’t know how to connect her history of slavery and poverty to her new rights of being a black woman. For example, Mama acknowledges Dee’s new name when she says, “I’ll get used to it”(853). Her standpoint obviously changes and doesn’t accept Dee for changing her name and having a lack of understanding for her
At the beginning of the story, Maggie, the narrator’s daughter, shows signs of the scars from slavery. By doing this when we are first introduced to Maggie, it shows that this is going to be a conflict through the story. First, she has scars …show more content…
She wears bright colored dresses that are inappropriate for the weather and also has changed her name to Wangero. Even though her mother accepts her when she said “ She was determined to stare down any disaster in her efforts”(854), she doesn’t accept her attitude and personality when she said “she would always look anyone in the eye”(854). This shows that blacks during this time of the movement are basically reflected by Dee. Dee showed her pride of the movement and also showed how she isn’t certain of the movement. Alot of people during this time are trying to find their inner pride and heritage, but for Dee and most other African Americans during this time it is hard to. Dee is very smart, and has attended college but seems to lack an understanding of her past …show more content…
She seems confused as to what the black power movement actually means. She realizes the people of the movement don’t actually understand what their parents and ancestors actually went through. At the beginning of the story, the mother seems confused on to where she stands in the black power movement.This is because she doesn’t know how to connect her history of slavery and poverty to her new rights of being a black woman. For example, Mama acknowledges Dee’s new name when she says, “I’ll get used to it”(853). Her standpoint obviously changes and doesn’t accept Dee for changing her name and having a lack of understanding for her