David Leavitt Territory Summary
“Territory” by David Leavitt
Ever since Neil told his parents he was a homosexual there has been a distance between him and his mother. Though she did make attempts to be supportive towards her son’s lifestyle by attending the gay pride parade, Neil soon realizes that it is all just for show. It was during that parade where she showed her true colors. In the story, a drag queen comes from the parade to greet Neil’s mother Barbara and as Neil and he returns to the parade, Neil looks back and sees a look of disgust on his mother’s face. At this point, Neil realizes that his mother will never accept him for the way he is. This is just one instance where Neil feels he cannot be accepted in his mother’s presence. Later in the story Neil decided …show more content…
In the story Dee asks her mother for some of the quilts which she and another family member had put together. This sudden interest in the family items was quite curious at first to Mama because these quilts were offered to Dee once before, in which at that time she showed no interest. Now all of a sudden she is interested in her mother’s most treasured of quilts- the ones that were made specifically from the old scraps of their ancestor’s clothing. These quilts had the very history of the Johnson family sewn into them, and Dee wanted them. At first it seemed at though Dee wanted them for the sentimental value which they carried, but it was soon apparent that her soul purpose was to put them on display. She wanted to hang them on her walls as to add a show of higher importance to her life for all her visitors to see. What is ironic in this is that the very thing she left home to escape is the one thing she coveted most to present in her home- the connection with her family history. It is almost as if she wanted nothing to do with her family’s heritage until it became fashionable to do so. At the end of the story, Mama saw Dee’s true intention for her quilts and gave it to who she thought worthy of them- Maggie. Maggie embraced her heritage and intended to put these quilts to everyday practical use. This ending just signifies Walker’s meaning of heritage, which is not meant to sit on the shelf, but rather reflect a part of history that remains alive in this present
Ever since Neil told his parents he was a homosexual there has been a distance between him and his mother. Though she did make attempts to be supportive towards her son’s lifestyle by attending the gay pride parade, Neil soon realizes that it is all just for show. It was during that parade where she showed her true colors. In the story, a drag queen comes from the parade to greet Neil’s mother Barbara and as Neil and he returns to the parade, Neil looks back and sees a look of disgust on his mother’s face. At this point, Neil realizes that his mother will never accept him for the way he is. This is just one instance where Neil feels he cannot be accepted in his mother’s presence. Later in the story Neil decided …show more content…
In the story Dee asks her mother for some of the quilts which she and another family member had put together. This sudden interest in the family items was quite curious at first to Mama because these quilts were offered to Dee once before, in which at that time she showed no interest. Now all of a sudden she is interested in her mother’s most treasured of quilts- the ones that were made specifically from the old scraps of their ancestor’s clothing. These quilts had the very history of the Johnson family sewn into them, and Dee wanted them. At first it seemed at though Dee wanted them for the sentimental value which they carried, but it was soon apparent that her soul purpose was to put them on display. She wanted to hang them on her walls as to add a show of higher importance to her life for all her visitors to see. What is ironic in this is that the very thing she left home to escape is the one thing she coveted most to present in her home- the connection with her family history. It is almost as if she wanted nothing to do with her family’s heritage until it became fashionable to do so. At the end of the story, Mama saw Dee’s true intention for her quilts and gave it to who she thought worthy of them- Maggie. Maggie embraced her heritage and intended to put these quilts to everyday practical use. This ending just signifies Walker’s meaning of heritage, which is not meant to sit on the shelf, but rather reflect a part of history that remains alive in this present