Everyday Use By Alice Walker Summary

The story of Everyday Use by author Alice Walker gives me a reflection of my thoughts. I, just like Maggie have a couple of objects that I cherish. The first one comes from my great grandma, a cooking tool known as el molcahete. It’s a hand grinder made of a special rock. The more it is used, the better it becomes. She used this throughout her life and cherished it as well, since it was gift she inherited from her mother. The second object is a woven throw that my grandma made when she was young. This was her favorite throw. She carried it everywhere she went. When both of these valuable ladies were alive my favorite hobby was to sit down with them, have a cup of hot cocoa and listed to the stories of their life. As time passed, I learned to enjoy my ancestors with greater love and respect. The opportunity life gave me to know my grandmas has attached me to these objects because “they’re price less!” (Walker 320). I

My father was also a hard worker. He had nine children to feed. With this in mind on a daily basis he keped the pace of working two fulltime jobs. For years I would see him get up and walk to work the in the coldness of the Bay Area winter breeze. At night, I would wait for him anxious to receive a warm hug and a blessing from his “cracked hands” (Hayden p1). This was normal to me. I knew nothing of his tough life. It wasn’t until age caught up with him that I realized all his bones and body “ached from labor” (Hayden p1). He was now living the consequences of loving us so much. His sacrifice, his health, all in exchange for his children’s wealth. Most of us, as young ones don’t realize how important we are to our parents. Not until we live the experience of having our own children. This is when it hits us. Then we learn to cherish and value the sacrifice our parents did to give us a decent