Everyday Use by Alice Walker

Introduction

Everyday Use is a short story written by Alice Walker. It is about an African-American mother and her two daughters. The older daughter, Dee, is a successful college student. The younger daughter, Maggie, is not as successful. The mother is trying to decide which daughter should have a quilt that was made by her grandmother. The story is set in the rural South during the 1960s.

The mother is a strong woman who has had to overcome many challenges in her life. She is proud of her daughters, but she is also realistic about their different abilities. Maggie is shy and not as educated as Dee, but the mother knows that she is a hard worker. Dee is confident and has a lot of potential, but the mother knows that she can be selfish.

The Importance of Family Heritage

Heritage is important to people because it is a reminder of where they came from and who they are. It can be something as simple as a piece of clothing or a piece of furniture. It can also be something more abstract, like a belief system or a way of life.

For the characters in Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use,” heritage is an important part of their identity. Dee, the older daughter, has gone to college and has become interested in African-American culture. She has changed her name to Wangero and wants to claim the quilt as her own, as a part of her African-American heritage. Maggie, the younger daughter, has not gone to college and is still using her given name. She is content to live a simple life, like her mother. Maggie does not see the quilt as an important part of her heritage, but she does see it as a practical item that can be used every day.

The mother is caught in the middle. She is proud of both of her daughters and wants them to be happy. But she also knows that they are very different people with different needs. In the end, she gives the quilt to Maggie, because she knows that it will be more appreciated and used more often.

Heritage is important to the characters in “Everyday Use” because it is a reminder of where they came from and who they are. It is also a source of pride and a source of conflict.

The Struggle to Preserve Tradition in a Changing World

Alice Walker’s short story “Everyday Use” tells the story of a mother and her two daughters who are struggling to preserve their heritage in a changing world. The mother is a simple woman who is trying to keep her family’s traditions alive, while her daughters are more interested in the modern world. The conflict between the generations is a major theme of the story, and it is symbolized by the quilt that the mother has made. The quilt is a symbol of the family’s heritage, and the mother wants her daughters to appreciate it for its history and meaning. However, the younger daughter only wants to use it as a decoration, and she does not understand the importance of preserving her family’s traditions. This conflict between the old and the new is a central theme of “Everyday Use,” and it is one that is still relevant today. As our world continues to change, it is important to remember the importance of preserving our heritage and traditions.

Conclusion

Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” is a story about the importance of family heritage and the struggle to preserve tradition in a changing world. The mother is a simple woman who is trying to keep her family’s traditions alive, while her daughters are more interested in the modern world. The conflict between the generations is a major theme of the story, and it is symbolized by the quilt that the mother has made. The quilt is a symbol of the family’s heritage, and the mother wants her daughters to appreciate it for its history and meaning. However, the younger daughter only wants to use it as a decoration, and she does not understand the importance of preserving her family’s traditions. This conflict between the old and the new is a central theme of “Everyday Use,” and it is one that is still relevant today. As our world continues to change, it is important to remember the importance of preserving our heritage and traditions.