Everyday Use Analysis

Since the quilts embody pieces of Mama's mother's clothing in the patchwork, Maggie understands that the quilts have their family heritage sewn in them. On the other hand, Dee does not fully grasp this. Her understanding of family heritage is not as strong because she has already changed her name from Dee, a family name, to Wagero. She has always thought that she wants "new and nice things. " It is not until she comes back home from leaving for college that she realizes that the quilts for their fashionable

Furthermore, Sarnowski acknowledges mother’s disappointment as Maggie gives up the quilts, pointing out that they represent memories of family members. The author believes that displaying these quilts will disintegrate the sense of family history they carry. Consequently,

Because of some statistics about women 's work, Hekker views her work as unique work which needs special care. However, the author mentions that people view her as an outsider, shamed, and out-of-date person because of her occupation. Hekker adds that other newer statistics put her hope down as the number of housewife mother is decreasing. Thus, the author clarifies that she must be treated as an important and unique creature because she is going to be one of the few housewives. Hekker concludes by mentioning that being a housewife is a heroic job if and only if the works that a housewife does is for children, husband, and house of someone else.

Alice Walker uses symbolism, theme, and metaphors in her story “Everyday Use.” The first pieces of symbolism in the story

Inclusively, she recalls Junies giggles while she starts to quilt (45). The poem chronically

But to Mama these quilts hold a significance importance and have more practical use to it than giving it to Dee. On the other hand, Maggie and Mama shares the same value and hold the same culture that been passing downed to them by their family. We can see that Mama is closed with Maggie more than Dee, as Dee was away, and Maggie did not changed her name and take on another new culture. Mama and Maggie are now the gatekeeper of the culture that been passed down to her, and she rejected and mad at Dee for her rejection of this

In the story Everyday Use, there is conflict between the two main characters Maggie and Dee. The two sisters are arguing over their Grandma 's quilt. Maggie feels that she deserves the quilt because she will cherish it and make great use out of it, unlike her sister who only wants to frame it in order to remember her heritage. Dee is not used to being told "no" and she has always got everything she has ever asked for, which is why she puts up a fight for the quilt. Dee then goes on to explain to her family on page 172, how she is changing her name to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo.

When Mama won't let her have the quilts to display, she becomes furious. She claims that Mama and Maggie don't understand their heritage,but she is the one overlooking the important aspects of her family history. The conflict is in the different points of view regarding the value and importance of objects, preservation of history and everyday use. Mrs Johnson and Maggie have a different

Parenting has been a long practice that desires and demands unconditional sacrifices. Sacrifice is something that makes motherhood worthwhile. The mother-child relationship can be a standout amongst the most convoluted, and fulfilling, of all connections. Women are fuel by self-sacrifice and guilt - but everyone is the better for it. Their youngsters, who feel adored; whatever is left of us, who are saved disagreeable experiences with adolescents raised without affection or warmth; and mothers most importantly.

The quilt gives a true connection with the past and the heritage. The mother wanted to pass the tradition to her younger daughter by giving the quilt but Dee, her eldest daughter wanted it for herself, but mother did not give it to her.” I promised to give them quilts to Maggie, for when she married John Thomas” (Walker). The story also shows the struggle over tradition as Dee changes the name to Wangero,” I couldn’t bear it any longer, being named after the people who oppress me”

(Dontrell Whitfield) In “Everyday Use” the two sisters are arguing over the quilts and what the use of them is for. The character Dee feels that the quilts are not for everyday use. “You will just not understand

The short story “everyday use” by Alice walker is a story about a mother and her two daughters Dee and Maggie. The story capitalize on the upbringing of two siblings, and how they can be raised under the same conditions and rules but still manage to have different outcomes. Dee belittles her family and many ways, and she believes she is better than her past. She believes that she know and understand the true meaning of her past.

A person's view on culture heavily influence how one sees and views the world around them. People are influenced by the cultures surrounding them as well as where they live. In the personal essay Two Ways to Belong in America ,written by Bharati Mukherjee, Bharati and her sister Mira were both born in Calcutta, India , but later moved to the United States. Bharati loved America and said "I am an American citizen and she is not" speaking to how she had embraced and been influenced by her surroundings but her sister had not.

In “Everyday Use,” by Alice Walker, the theme, the meaning of heritage and how it is remembered, is established through the symbolism of the quilts. The author uses symbolism to imply the true meaning of heritage and how it is remembered is shown through the creation of the quilts as shown in the text, “In both of them were scraps of dresses Grandma Dee had worn...pieces of grandpa Jarrell's Paisley shorts. and one teeny faded blue piece… that was from great grandpa Ezar’s uniform that he wore in the Civil War,” (Walker 139). The quilt that was made of the objects listed above that symbolized the different generation of family being stitched together through Grandma, Big Dee, and Mama’s hands a person from each generation stitching the family together. This shows the bonding of the

The story “Everyday Use” has some symbolic meaning incorporated into it. A symbol, according to Kirszner and Mandell (2012), is when something in the story takes on a particular meaning. The three key symbols that were present were Dee’s name; the dasher; and the quilts. Wangero was symbolic to Dee because it represented freedom.