Everyday Use Literary Analysis
A Literary Analysis of Everyday Use
Alice Walker 's short story, "Everyday Use," shows the significance of genuinely understanding our own family traditions and culture through our present lives. The story presents two sides in conflict through the characters of Maggie and Dee. Mama, the narrator of the story, and Maggie, the youngest daughter, appreciates heritage as part of themselves and where they originated from. Dee, the oldest daughter, discarded her heritage from the start and never reformed a connection with it. It is ironic that two sisters from the same family are total opposites.
Mama describes herself as "a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands." Similarly, Maggie is not a pretty girl. The last house they lived …show more content…
Dee looks highly feminine in contrast to Mama and Maggie. She begins to take pictures of the house, Mama, Maggie, and cows nearby. Also she starts taking interest in the house, the benches, and everyday items in the house. Ironically, Dee seems to be showing interest in her heritage; the same heritage that she distanced herself from in the beginning. However, Dee has changed her name to "Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo", a possible African name. She could not "bear it any longer being named after the people who oppress me." Mama told her that the name "Dee" branches back to many past generations. But Dee brushes it off her shoulder. Mama still sees that Dee is not showing any true understanding of the family and heritage. Maggie was extremely passive when Dee came back home. The major controversy in the story is the discussion about the quilts. It happens when Dee goes into Mama 's room and grabs the quilts. The quilts were passed down through many past generations. The quilts were made up by scraps of Grandma Dee and Grandpa Jarrell 's old clothing. When Dee first saw the quilts, her intention was to take it for herself. Mama tells Dee that the quilts were promised to Maggie. Dee enters a rage and says that Maggie would be dumb enough to put the quilts to everyday use. Also she expresses that Maggie does not understand the value of these quilts. It is
Alice Walker 's short story, "Everyday Use," shows the significance of genuinely understanding our own family traditions and culture through our present lives. The story presents two sides in conflict through the characters of Maggie and Dee. Mama, the narrator of the story, and Maggie, the youngest daughter, appreciates heritage as part of themselves and where they originated from. Dee, the oldest daughter, discarded her heritage from the start and never reformed a connection with it. It is ironic that two sisters from the same family are total opposites.
Mama describes herself as "a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands." Similarly, Maggie is not a pretty girl. The last house they lived …show more content…
Dee looks highly feminine in contrast to Mama and Maggie. She begins to take pictures of the house, Mama, Maggie, and cows nearby. Also she starts taking interest in the house, the benches, and everyday items in the house. Ironically, Dee seems to be showing interest in her heritage; the same heritage that she distanced herself from in the beginning. However, Dee has changed her name to "Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo", a possible African name. She could not "bear it any longer being named after the people who oppress me." Mama told her that the name "Dee" branches back to many past generations. But Dee brushes it off her shoulder. Mama still sees that Dee is not showing any true understanding of the family and heritage. Maggie was extremely passive when Dee came back home. The major controversy in the story is the discussion about the quilts. It happens when Dee goes into Mama 's room and grabs the quilts. The quilts were passed down through many past generations. The quilts were made up by scraps of Grandma Dee and Grandpa Jarrell 's old clothing. When Dee first saw the quilts, her intention was to take it for herself. Mama tells Dee that the quilts were promised to Maggie. Dee enters a rage and says that Maggie would be dumb enough to put the quilts to everyday use. Also she expresses that Maggie does not understand the value of these quilts. It is