Everyday Use Heritage Analysis
The Importance of heritage in “Everyday Use”
In her story “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker introduces the complex relationships that are a part of African American families. Being an African American woman herself, Walker knows first hand the importance of family and the prevalence of heritage in this world and uses this story to challenge readers to not lose value of their heritage. Quilts are used to represent years of stories and history that carry the legacy of African American families and become themselves a bit of heritage. Walker uses quilts in “Everyday Use” as a way to pair the materialistic false world of Dee to the reality truth found in Maggie; in doing so, she is able to reinforce her point that African Americans need to respect and revere their heritage and be careful not to lose sight of where they come from. Walker uses the character of Dee to parallel the world around them that seems to claim young men and women and cause them to lose sight of who they are. Dee seems very alluring and is described as having “neat-looking feet” that appear to have been shaped by “God himself” (Walker 842). Dee later reveals that she has changed her name from Dee to Wangero to escape oppression. In doing so, Walker shows how people so willingly trade in their heritage and all the history …show more content…
Mama compares this feeling to being touched by the “spirit of God” (Walker 845). Being so overcome by this she embraces Maggie and returns the quilts to her telling Dee to “Take one or two of the others” (Walker 845). In doing so, Walkers point of the value of heritage is reiterated. Dee goes on to reject her heritage once again saying “It’s really a new day for us. But from the way you and Mama still live you’d never know it” (Walker 845). Dee leaves the house without the quilts she desired, still lacking an appreciation for her heritage and her
In her story “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker introduces the complex relationships that are a part of African American families. Being an African American woman herself, Walker knows first hand the importance of family and the prevalence of heritage in this world and uses this story to challenge readers to not lose value of their heritage. Quilts are used to represent years of stories and history that carry the legacy of African American families and become themselves a bit of heritage. Walker uses quilts in “Everyday Use” as a way to pair the materialistic false world of Dee to the reality truth found in Maggie; in doing so, she is able to reinforce her point that African Americans need to respect and revere their heritage and be careful not to lose sight of where they come from. Walker uses the character of Dee to parallel the world around them that seems to claim young men and women and cause them to lose sight of who they are. Dee seems very alluring and is described as having “neat-looking feet” that appear to have been shaped by “God himself” (Walker 842). Dee later reveals that she has changed her name from Dee to Wangero to escape oppression. In doing so, Walker shows how people so willingly trade in their heritage and all the history …show more content…
Mama compares this feeling to being touched by the “spirit of God” (Walker 845). Being so overcome by this she embraces Maggie and returns the quilts to her telling Dee to “Take one or two of the others” (Walker 845). In doing so, Walkers point of the value of heritage is reiterated. Dee goes on to reject her heritage once again saying “It’s really a new day for us. But from the way you and Mama still live you’d never know it” (Walker 845). Dee leaves the house without the quilts she desired, still lacking an appreciation for her heritage and her