Alice walker term paper
Showalter, Elaine. “Quilt as Metaphor in ‘Everyday Use.’” Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. Eds. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 11th ed. New York: Pearson Longman. 2010. 469-470. Print.
Alice Walker believes that quilting and piecing represents both the artistic heritage of Afro-American women and the model of a black feminist, writing about connection and understanding. “In the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.,” Walker describes a quilt that illustrates biblical stories. Walker believes that imagination and feelings can be acknowledged without the use of quilts or museums, but the heritage illustrated in the Smithsonian quilt has only survived because it was preserved in museums. Walker presents her theme of the quilt, more clearly in her story “Everyday Use.” In her story, like most, she uses the differences between the two sisters to demonstrate the concept of “heritage.” The fortunate older sister, Dee, has escaped from her culture, while the unfortunate younger sister, Maggie, has stayed at home where she was dreadfully scarred in a house fire. After leaving her culture, Dee has chosen the life of profound black nationalism, and returns to reclaim her heritage from her mother in the form of “art,” such as the quilts made by her grandmother. Dee believes that Maggie could not appreciate the quilts and would only use them for everyday use. In this moment, the mother, who has always been intimidated by Dee, decides Maggie deserves the quilts the most. The mother believes that although Maggie cannot speak as fluently about her heritage, she understands that the quilt is more of a development rather than a product, and will understand its meaning in a way that Dee would never comprehend. According to Walker’s story, the meaning of an aesthetic heritage lies in its constant renewal rather than its appreciation.
Alice Walker believes that quilting and piecing represents both the artistic heritage of Afro-American women and the model of a black feminist, writing about connection and understanding. “In the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.,” Walker describes a quilt that illustrates biblical stories. Walker believes that imagination and feelings can be acknowledged without the use of quilts or museums, but the heritage illustrated in the Smithsonian quilt has only survived because it was preserved in museums. Walker presents her theme of the quilt, more clearly in her story “Everyday Use.” In her story, like most, she uses the differences between the two sisters to demonstrate the concept of “heritage.” The fortunate older sister, Dee, has escaped from her culture, while the unfortunate younger sister, Maggie, has stayed at home where she was dreadfully scarred in a house fire. After leaving her culture, Dee has chosen the life of profound black nationalism, and returns to reclaim her heritage from her mother in the form of “art,” such as the quilts made by her grandmother. Dee believes that Maggie could not appreciate the quilts and would only use them for everyday use. In this moment, the mother, who has always been intimidated by Dee, decides Maggie deserves the quilts the most. The mother believes that although Maggie cannot speak as fluently about her heritage, she understands that the quilt is more of a development rather than a product, and will understand its meaning in a way that Dee would never comprehend. According to Walker’s story, the meaning of an aesthetic heritage lies in its constant renewal rather than its appreciation.