Jul 12, · Essay, Pages 6 ( words) Views. In the short story “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, she introduces a rural black family who struggle with the meaning of heritage. To Mama, the narrator, and Maggie, the youngest daughter, heritage is whom they are, where they come from, and the everyday use of the things around blogger.comted Reading Time: 6 mins Jul 01, · “Everyday use” by Alice Walker is a fictional story analyzed years over, in academic and professional circles from an initial collection of In live and trouble (Donnelly ). The story is narrated from a first person point of view (by a single mother, Mrs. Johnson) and dwells on the perception of two sisters regarding cultural artifacts (Wangero) Everyday Use, Alice Walker. Through contrasting family members and views in Everyday Use, Alice Walker illustrates the importance of understanding our present life in relation to the traditions of our own people and culture. Using careful descriptions and attitudes, Walker demonstrates which factors contribute to the values of ones heritage and culture; she Estimated Reading Time: 5 mins
"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker - Words | Essay Example
Through contrasting family members and views in Everyday Use, Alice Walker illustrates the importance of understanding our present life in relation to the traditions of our own people and culture. Using careful descriptions and attitudes, Walker demonstrates which factors contribute to the values of ones heritage and culture; she illustrates that these are represented not by the possession of objects or mere appearances, but by ones lifestyle and attitude.
In Everyday Use Walker personifies the different sides of culture and heritage in the characters of Dee and the mother the narrator. Dee can be seen to represent a materialistic, complex, and modern way of life where culture and heritage are to be valued only for their trendy-ness and aesthetic appeal. Mother on the other hand, represents a simple content way of life where culture and heritage are valued for both its usefulness as well as its personal significance.
The story clearly endorses Mamas simple, unsophisticated view of heritage, and shows disdain for Dees materialistic connection to her heritage. This everyday use alice walker essay demonstrated from the outset of the short story, we learn very quickly that the mother narrator has inherited many customs and traditions from her ancestors.
She describes herself as a large big-boned woman with rough man-working hands She also describes here various abilities including, I can kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a manI can work outside all day, breaking ice to get water for washing. I can eat pork liver cooked over the open fire minutes after it comes steaming from the hog. One winter I knocked a bull calf straight in the brain between everyday use alice walker essay eyes with a sledgehammer and had the meat hung up to everyday use alice walker essay by nightfall.
Mother is very proud of her abilities and accomplishments. Johnson, the mother, describes Dee as light skinned with nice hair and a full figure She recounts Dees childhood and her appreciation of nice things. She was not the least upset when the family home burned to the ground while she was just a girl, Why dont you do a dance around the ashes?
Id wanted to ask her. She had hated the house that much. She is struggling to create an identity for herself, and is confused as to what it encompasses.
She grasps at African tradition and culture, yet fails to acknowledge her own African American culture. This happened all over America, particularly in the North, everyday use alice walker essay the s, following the civil rights movement. Dee is misconstruing her heritage as material goods, as opposed to her ancestors habits and way of life, everyday use alice walker essay.
This may be due in part to her leaving her hometown and becoming an educated, sophisticated young woman. Dees direct heritage is that of African Americans. When Dee informs her mother and Maggie she has changed her name she states, everyday use alice walker essay, I couldnt stand it anymore, being named after the people that oppress me. While Dee may not be an African name it is based on ancestors, tradition, and the heritage of the Johnson family.
Dee discards this name in favor of an African name, Wangero, that, although is African, is not directly related to her heritage. It has not been passed down through generations, nor does it symbolize anything directly related to her family. The contradiction of culture and heritage becomes more evident as the quilts are introduced into the story.
While the Johnsons sit down to lunch, Dee begins to admire the butter churn and the dasher. Although she has a brief recollection of Uncle Buddy whittling the churn, she is much more interested in the churn top as a centerpiece for her alcove table.
Following lunch Dee re-discovers the quilts. The quilts were composed of an eclectic array of material including, everyday use alice walker essay, scraps of dresses Grandma Dee had worn fifty years ago. Bits and pieces of Grandpa Jarrells Paisley shirts. And one teeny faded blue piecethat was from Great Grandpa Ezras uniform he wore in the Civil War. However, Mrs. Johnson clearly remembers offering Dee a quilt to take away for university and Dee proclaiming they were old fashioned and out of style.
The argument over the quilts symbolizes the black womans dilemma in confronting the future. After Mrs. Johnson confirms she is giving the quilts to Maggie, Dee states, You just dont understandYour heritage. She is aware the items are hand made by her ancestors, nevertheless remains unaware of the knowledge and history behind them.
Johnson knows the traditions and history behind the quilts; they put their ancestors memories to everyday use. While Dee may be working towards a period of enlightenment, she certainly did not demonstrate the insight that may come as she matures, everyday use alice walker essay. Through Everyday use alice walker essay Use Walker shows that culture is neither name changes nor speaking a foreign tongue. Ones culture and heritage are taught, from one generation to the next, everyday use alice walker essay suddenly picked up or acquired.
A person who possesses real heritage and culture make use of it every day of their life. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Related Essays: Gender, Class, and Race Stereotypes in American Television The Everyday use alice walker essay of the Wild Conspirators Essay Education in the s The novel, Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. Leave a Comment Cancel reply Comment Name Email Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
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Jul 01, · In the short story Everyday Use, Alice Walker talks about the conflict that exists between Mama and Dee. This observation is shared by many. All the literary critic and commentator will agree that there is conflict between the mother and her eldest daughter Apr 23, · Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” and Individual Identity. In Alice Walker’s short story “Everyday Use,” the conflict between a desire for personal fulfillment and the need to honor one’s tradition is dramatized in the conflict shown between two daughters, Maggie and Dee Jul 12, · Essay, Pages 6 ( words) Views. In the short story “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, she introduces a rural black family who struggle with the meaning of heritage. To Mama, the narrator, and Maggie, the youngest daughter, heritage is whom they are, where they come from, and the everyday use of the things around blogger.comted Reading Time: 6 mins
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