Dr Joe Sarnowski Everyday Use Analysis

The quilts in “Everyday Use” may seem to show a heated argument about possessions between a household, but they actually show a deep cultural and racial divide and the difference in values between generations of the same family. These rifts are shown by the way each member of the family reacts to discussions of how these quilts would best be used, and the attitude each takes on the value of them. When Wangero comes to visit, she asks her mother if she can have two quilts that had been made by her grandmother and Mrs. Johnson tries to offer her machine-made quilts. Wangero does not want these quilts, indicating that she would rather have the hand-stitched quilts of her grandmother. The irony of turning down one of these quilts before she left for college is lost on Wangero.

As a result, she gives in to her sister’s request and tells her mom, “She can have them” (321 Walker). The quilts have a different value for each daughter. In Maggie case, “it was Grandma Dee and Big Dee who taught her how to quilt”, her mother promised her the quilts after she was married, and because they were meant to be used and appreciated. Maggie hints that she thinks of the quilts as a reminder of her aunt and grandmother when she says, “I can ‘member Grandma Dee without the quilts” (321 Walker). Dee/Wangero sees the quilts as “priceless” (320 Walker).

During the late nineteenth century, the time of the protagonist Edna Pontellier, a woman’s place in history was mostly confined to her children and her husband, with there being little of herself to enjoy. Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening, embodies the triumphs and frustrations in a woman’s life as she struggles with handling strict societal demands. Defying the roles of a typical “mother-woman,” Edna battles with the pressures of her time that demand she be a devoted and controlled housewife. One of the first overtly feminist novels, The Awakening criticizes gender and social roles in ways that have now heavily influenced what we call feminism. One of the first ways that Chopin battles the nineteenth century Victorian era is with

For example, when her aunt said that she took John out of school “ on account of his delicate health,” but later says that “ he would do very well if he had fewer cakes and sweetmeats sent him from home.” Syntax is important for the readers to understand because the readers would determine the character's attitude about one another or whenever the character is emphasizing a point . Through Jane’s point of view, Jane focuses on the relationship between her and John. Jane demonstrates to readers how she has suffered through her cousin’s anger and her aunt’s neglect to stop the abuse. Through Jane the reader is shown how even with all the suffering, Jane has her limits, even though she was submissive throughout the passage until the end. Jane’s point of view is important for the readers to know because the readers will understand what is happening to the character.

This shows that Maggie views the quilts as a way of remembering her deceased grandmother. It’s not as much about the physical looks of the quilt, but more about them being a passed down memento from her grandmother. In addition, Sarnowski states, “Losing the quilts would not extinguish or reduce Maggie’s sense of heritage, but it would rob her sense of heritage of an affirming token” (Sarnowski 280). Maggie knows what her heritage is and does not necessarily need the quilts to define it. She is happy with the life she lives and although she would be losing this “affirming token” she would still know where she comes

Pilate Dead is the sister of Macon Jr. and the Aunt of Milkman. Throughout Song of Solomon Pilate is shown as being a down to earth and caring woman who is righteous in her actions and in her beliefs. Following the death of their father, Pilate and Macon chose to “continue” the legacy of their father in drastically different ways, Macon chose to honor his father by striving to accumulate money, this would lead to a horrible disconnect between him and his wife and son. Whereas Pilate honors her father by being a down to earth woman, who wants to continue her father’s legacy of love and wholesome values. Pilate’s name is also ironic in a biblical sense and a literal sense.

Mrs. Pontellier in The Awakening seems tired of being married to her husband and finds Robert more interesting. She wants to be a more independent woman, but her feelings for Robert are evident, much to the displeasure of Mr. Pontellier, causing tension in their marriage. Wuthering Heights and The Awakening focuses more on the inner workings of marriage, in relation to the marriages that were one-sided. In The Awakening Edna, also known as Mrs. Pontellier, is a married woman on vacation with her husband and kids to Grand Isle. She develops an unhealthy attachment to Robert due to Mr. Pontellier

However, not everyone feels this way. In Fever 1793 , Mattie and Mother treat each other rather poorly, and later in the story they felt great guilt. Anderson has Mattie exclaim.. “I had just saved her precious quilt from disaster, but would she appreciate it? Of course not” (3) . This reveals that Mattie has negative attitude towards her mother, in addition to Mother having a poor attitude towards Mattie.

In the story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker, elder daughter Dee/Wangero 's protective attitude concerning her family 's heirlooms causes her aesthetic view of her African heritage to rear its ugly head against younger daughter Maggie 's and mother Mrs. Johnson 's cultural view of their same heritage. Indeed, in the case of the

No child should go through the pain and neglect that Saranell felt in Leaving Gilead. Saranell feels the negative effects of being neglected. Although Geneva viewed her daughter as a waste of years, Saranell loved her still; getting nothing in return. The pain of neglect is far worse than the pain of losing a loved