Everyday Use

A Contrast between Dee and Maggie’s View Concerning Their Heritage In my writing essay I shall analyze the way in which heritage can be conceived in Alice Walker’s novel Everyday Use, trying to point out the author’s main ideas concerning the theme of the story. I would also try to describe the two daughter’s points of view, Dee and Maggie’s, about their ancestral heritage. The contrast between these two daughters is more than obvious not only in their appearance but also in their behavior when it comes to quilts from their grandmother.

Everyday Use is a story narrated by a rural black woman, who is the mother of the two girls Maggie and Dee Johnson. Mrs. Johnson, is a simple woman but who, in spite of all difficulties that she passed through, she tried to give her daughters if possible, a good education and of course the most important thing, to make them aware of what heritage is indeed, the fact that traditional culture and heritage is not represented only by the possession of old objects, but also by one’s behavior and customs.

She outlines in the story that she is not a very educated woman, but this does not mean that the lack of education is also reflected in her capacity to understand, to love and to respect her ancestors. Since the beginning of the story, the narrator makes obvious the contrast between Maggie and her elder sister Dee. Dee is a very ambitious girl, with a well-defined character, the one who had always been successful and ambitious. Maggie thinks “her sister has held life, always in the palm of one hand, that “no” is a word the world never learned to say to her. (Walker 2469). Dee denies her real heritage by changing her given name, after her aunt Dee, to the superficially more impressive one Wangero Leewanik Kemanjo, arguing to her mother that “Dee is dead and I couldn’t bear it any longer, being named after the people who oppress me” ( Walker 2472), what she does in fact is to reject her family identity. She inspires in her mother “a sort of awe and fear more suitable to the advent of a goddess than the love one might expect a mother to feel for a returning daughter” (Farell, “Flight”).

On the other hand, Maggie is the type of simple girl, like her mother, with little education. She is not ambitious like her sister Dee, living somehow in her mother’s shadow. But this might be also because Maggie hadn’t her sister luck and she burned severely in the when she was a child, becoming now a shy and fearful person. These features are more visible in her attitude while waiting for her sister to come home. Mama is projecting her own anger and frustration onto her younger daughter when she speculates that Maggie will be cowed by Dee’s arrival. Maggie will be nervous until after her sister goes: she will stand hopelessly in corners homely and ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs, eyeing her sister with a mixture of envy and awe” ( Walker 2469). As Marianne Hirsch says in one of her critical essays: “the mother sees in Maggie’s angerless, fear an image of her own passive acceptance of Dee’s aggression, her own suppressed anger” Moreover, we can see through the lines of this story that, at the beginning, Dee was the daughter that mother preferred most because of her authority and because she wanted to succeed in life by following her instincts.

But when she saw her totally changed, not only physically but also in her mentality, mother realized that Maggie was the one that understood the meaning of “heritage” and tried to give her justice. It is relevant “Mama’s awakening to one’s daughter’s superficiality and to the other’s deep-seated understanding of heritage” ( Tuten, “Alice Walker’s Everyday Use” ). However, Dee seems to despise her sister, her mother and the church that helped to educate her. Intentionally or not, she is selfish and she treats her sister with indifference.

While Dee escaped from the poor life she was supposed to live, Maggie, next to her mother, represents the multitude of black women who must suffer. Scarred, graceless, not bright and uneducated, “Maggie is a living reproach to a survivor like her sister” (Cowart, “Heritage”) . The contradictions about heritage and culture between Maggie and Dee become more extensive when the quilts take part from the story. After dinner, Dee discovers some old quilts which belonged to her grandmother.

She is very excited that found them, thinking that these quilts represent the testament of her ancestors. Without taking into account Maggie’s opinion, she asks her mother if she can have those quilts, arguing that she is the only one who can appreciate and have the right to keep them. At first, mother hesitates to give her an answer and offers her other quilts but Dee gets upset and then mother explains to her that the quilts were from Maggie as a wedding gift. Maggie’s tolerance in the story contrasts with Dee’s boldness.

When Dee insists that her sister would ruin grandma’s quilts by using them everyday, and that hanging the quilts would be the only way to preserve them, Maggie “ like somebody used to never wining anything, or having anything reserved for her” says “ She can have them, Mama. I can remember Grandma Dee without the quilts” (Walker, 2474). Mrs. Johnson then realizes what makes Maggie different form her sister. She sees her scarred hands hidden in her skirt and says: “When I looked at her like that something hit me in the top of my head and ran down to the soles of my feet.

Just like when I’m in the church and the spirit of God touches me and I get happy and shout” (Walker, 2475). This powerful feelings determines Mama to do something she had never done before: “she snatched the quilts out of Miss Wangero’s hands and dumped them into Maggie’s lap” ( Walker, 2475). Mama’s behavior here is almost like Dee’s because she rebuffs her wishes for the first time and give justice to the most patient Maggie. The fact that she takes the quilts from Dee and gives them to Maggie, “she confirms her younger daughter’s self-worth: metaphorically, she gives Maggie her voice” ( Tuten, “Alice Walker’s Everyday Use” ).

In conclusion, I can say that Everyday Use is a story about understanding heritage. This concept is very well exposed by the two characters Alice Walker created, Dee and Maggie. These two daughters have a completely different view in what concerns the heritage from their ancestors; in this case their origins and their inheritance, the quilts from Grandma Dee. Maggie is the one who understands that heritage is about respecting family’s traditions and customs while Dee destroys the traditional image kept by Mrs.

Johnson and her sister. She denies her true origins by changing the given name into more fashionable one, Wangero Leewanik Kemanjo. One should appreciate his legacy because it represents indeed what we are. We can not hide our roots and even if we want, this would not be possible because it always remains present in our souls and our minds, we like it or not. WORKES CITED PRIMARY SOURCE: Walker, Alice. Everyday Use. In Love and Trouble: Stories of Black Women New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973.

SECONDARY SOURCE: Cowart, David . ”Heritage and deracination in Walker’s “Everyday Use. ” Studies in Short Fiction. FindArticles. com. Farrell Susan. “Fight vs. Flight: a re-evaluation of Dee in Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”- Critical Essay”. Studies in Short Fiction. FindArticles. com. Hirsch, Marianne. “Clytemnestra’s Children: Writing the Mother’s Anger. ” Alice Walker: Modern Critical Views. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1989. Tuten, Nancy. “Alice Walker’s Everyday Use. ” The Explicator 51. 2,1993

In the story, “Everyday Use,” by Alice Walker, Dee is portrayed as a hypocrite towards her heritage by not understanding what her true heritage is. The author shows that Dee does not really have any interests in her family heritage and has little understanding of the important aspects of her family history. She fails to realize that her mind is completely blocked from her true heritage and fills it with completely new beliefs.

In “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, the author shows that heritage is valued objects and qualities that are passed down from generation to generation, and it represents the family’s importance, and because Dee does not understand this true meaning of heritage, her interest in her heritage is very hypocritical and splits her relationship with her family apart. Dee changes her heritage to fit her own beliefs rather than, keeping her actual heritage and learning about her own family history.

It is first seen that she changes her heritage, when Dee changes her name to “Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo” because she “couldn’t bear… being named after the people who oppress [her]” . The author shows that Dee gets rid of the name passed down from generation to generation and throws away a piece of her heritage. Dee indicates that her ancestors and elders whom she was named after oppress her, because she refuses to accept the culture and heritage of her family.

Another example of her changed heritage is when she gets out of the car, wearing “a dress down to the ground… A dress so loud, it hurts [Mama’s] eyes. ” After being away to college, the author portrays Dee with a completely different style of clothing, not leaving one piece of traditional clothing, which gives a sign of Dee fading away from her heritage. Here, the author allows the reader to see that Dee does not understand her heritage and that her new appearance does not accurately represent her heritage.

Even though Dee changes her heritage, she still thinks that she is still in touch with her family history and culture. We see that Dee is unaware that she forgets about her original heritage when she demands to have grandma’s quilts to “hang them”  instead of putting them to “everyday use”, the way she assumes Maggie would do. The author explains that Maggie would build upon the history of the quilts, honoring her heritage rather than Dee who would only hang them to prove that she is in touch with her culture.

The author reveals that Dee only wants to show them off and she disrespects the heritage of the quilts by not wanting to put them to “everyday use. ” Also, even after Mama gives the quilts to Maggie, she still thinks that it is Mama and Maggie who “don’t understand their heritage” . The author gives this passage a sense of irony because Dee claims that Mama and Maggie do not understand their heritage, but it is she, who does not accept her family heritage and throws it away to look for her true meaning.

Dee’s arrogance and ignorance causes her to even scold her mother on their heritage, which is really what should have been done to her. Dee had no interests in her real family heritage and only has a fondness towards her made up heritage which does not mean anything or say anything about her real history or her true culture. She does not understand that she pushes her traditions and heritage away, even when her relatives and mother try to teach her about it. Her ignorance makes her view of heritage hypocritical, because she never accepts her heritage, but still defends it as if she has the correct view of her heritage.

Accepting Ones Heritage in Everyday Use Ember Eslinger February 24, 2010 English219-M Essay 1 Individuals’ identities are formed and moulded by how he or she chooses to accept and preserve their culture.

One might believe that it is important to have the chance to pass down the stories of their past and the significance of their family treasures. Another opinion one might have in saving one’s heritage may be simply possessing family heirlooms. This paper focuses on the importance of experiencing people’s heritage and being proud of it; despite hardships and stereotypes.In the short story “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker it is evident that the antagonist is interested in preserving her heritage for the wrong reasons. Common sense seems to dictate that Mama is more sympathetic towards Maggie because they have more in common and share the respect for their heritage. Some critics believe that Mama possibly favours Maggie when it comes to the admiration and respect of their heritage. Even though Dee claims she’s become more knowledgeable about her African-American culture, Mama doesn’t believe that her heart is in it.

It’s almost as if she has shed her identity to satisfy this mistaken image that’s imbedded in her head of what being true to her African-American culture is all about. When Mama realizes the only reason Dee came home was to claim their family’s old quilts so she could hang them on the wall, Mama becomes resentful and disappointed towards her for not valuing the sentimentality behind her family’s heirlooms. Having the quilts hang on the wall of her house for everyone to see is essentially a reminder of her superior social and economic status.Mama believes Dee is ignorant and naive towards her own inheritance. By conforming to the white Americans view of the African-American traditions she’s cheating herself out of both cultures. She’s both and neither at the same time. Although Walker does not directly state, Dee’s character seems ashamed of how Mama and Maggie live their lives.

The short story supports the fact that Mama puts her foot down when Dee tries to take the quilts even though they were promised to Maggie.When Maggie tries to willingly allow Dee to take the quilts Mama steps in and insists Dee take some of the other ones. Some might believe Mama is unfair when it comes to her daughters, when really she’s handling the situation as her mother and grandmother would have handled it, supporting her idea of preserving heritage. Maggie, the younger of the two daughters, is covered in scars from when their old house went up in flames. The scars symbolize the almost uncomfortable state in which Maggie lives. Although she is content with what she has, she will probably never have more.Her quiet, withdrawn character helps readers see the contrast between the two sisters.

Similarly their complete opposite views of their heritage. Dee has a superficial idea of her heritage and prefers appearance over substance; how things appear on the outside, rather than the in depth meaning. Maggie on the other hand has respect for and is very aware of where she came from. Evidence from the text supports the idea that Maggie knew a great deal more than Dee about the significance of many family heirlooms.Like Mama, Maggie is able to take pride in the practical aspects of her nature and their lack of education does not prevent them from appreciating their heritage and those who came before them. Maggie values the importance of experiencing her heritage rather than putting in on display. She’s an utilitarian whose everyday use of the quilts remind her of her family ties and especially of her Grandma Dee.

Because Mama and Maggie share not only cultural beliefs but also physical attributes Walker makes it clear that Mama is able to better relate with Maggie over Dee.Along with accusing Mama of not understanding her own heritage, Dee furiously states that “‘Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts! She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use. ’” (Walker 253) Unfortunately for Dee, Mama sides with Maggie in hope that she would use them. Earlier in the story, Dee tries to prove her knowledge about the quilts but she only states how they were made from pieces of dresses her Grandma used to wear, nothing about either Grandpas clothing scraps.She finished her argument with what she thought was a strong statement about how they were all stitched by hand by her Grandma Dee, when in fact Mama and Big Dee also helped create the works of art. To Mama the quilts have a deeper meaning. When she moves up to touch the quilts, she is reaching out to touch the people whom the quilts represent.

Mama is more willing to pass down the quilts to Maggie because she believes Maggie is able to make the same connection as she does to the quilts.Mama and Maggie are able share the belief that the true meaning behind every family heirloom comes from the memories in which that item has made, so even when the object is no more, the memories are still able to live on through one’s bequest. In this short story, Walker indirectly focuses on the fact that Maggie is following in Mama’s footsteps and that it is very likely that she will lead the same lifestyle as Mama has. If one is able to take the time to recognize the recollections of the past through family heirlooms, he or she will more likely be able to understand and value their heritage.In conclusion this paper goes in depth about being true to ones heritage, furthermore, being true to oneself. When it comes to the topic of heritage, most of us will willingly agree that it takes more than knowledge of one’s grandparents’ names and a couple of old quilts to show ones passion and sentiment. In this case, Dee seems content with how she has decided to accept and portray her own heritage whereas most people, including Mama and Maggie, are on the opposite side of the spectrum since they believe it is more important to view your heritage as your entire lives experiences.

When it is said that Mama is more sympathetic towards Maggie it is merely stating With that said, to actually have the personal satisfaction of being part of one’s heritage, they first need to accept their own purities and faults. Once you are able to do so, recognizing oneself as a part of one’s heritage should surge naturally.Works Cited Walker, Alice. “Everyday Use. ” Making Arguments about Literature: A Compact Guide and Anthology. Ed. John Schilb and John Clifford.

Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. 2005. 247-253.

Characterization is used to address how ignorant a person can be to his or her heritage in the short story “Everyday Use,” by Alice Walker.

The author shows the way of living, of a family to display the reader the way heritage is forgotten and, or ignored. In this short story the author uses a mother, and two daughters, Dee and Maggie, to demonstrate how different the thoughts are between a family and how they honor their heritage. Maggie is used in the story to show the reader how heritage is still followed and respected in a family. The narrator, Mama, describes Maggie’s appearance as not a so good looking girl.She is a burned child from an incident the family had: “[T]hat fire that burned the other house to the ground” (Mama). Mama also describes how scarred Maggie’s arms and legs are. The narrator said, “[H]omely and ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs…” (Mama).

Maggie is described as a bad looking girl. On the other hand, Maggie’s personality is described to the reader as a really nice girl. She is also shown to be really caring, for example, when her sister wanted the quilts Maggie said, “She can have them, Mama” (Magie). This shows the reader that Maggie puts people before herself.Although Maggie has such a great heart, her social life doesn’t seem to fit with her. She is shown to be a loner. The narrator illustrates the reader that Maggie is attached to her mother.

Mama stated, “[T]he two of us sat there just enjoying, until it was time to go in the house and go to bed” (Mama). This informs the reader how much time both Maggie and Mama spent together. Mama’s appearance in the short story is shown to the reader as a big boned woman. The narrator states, “[I] am a large, big boned woman with rough, man working hands” (Mama).Because of this quote the reader can then comprehend that the narrator is a thick woman. The author also shows the reader that Mama is a strong woman: “One winter I knocked a bull calf straight in the brain between the eyes with a sledge hammer and had the meat hung up to chill before nightfall” (Mama). Mama is also shown to be a single woman.

She plays both the father and the mother’s role to her two daughters. The narrator stated, “I can work outside all day, breaking ice to get water for washing” (Mama). This informs the reader that there is no man in the house to do this; therefore, the narrator has to do it.Also, Mama is uneducated. Mama said, “After second grade the school was closed down” (Mama). The narrator stated this in order to let the reader know that the last grade completed by her was second grade and to show how low of an education she has. It also informs the reader how heritage is followed, since only one of her daughters is going to school.

In the short story, Mama’s relationship with her daughters is shown to be different from one daughter to the other. Mama mostly always favored Dee, and has good hopes for her future: “[W]e raised money, the church and me, to send her to Augusta to school” (Mama).This informed the reader that Mama would put Dee on top, and then Maggie on bottom. Although Mama preferred Dee, she would spend most of her time with Maggie and got along better with her. The narrator always talked about how Dee would make her mother and her sister Maggie’s self esteem go down: “She washes us in a river of make believe, burned us with a lot of knowledge…” (Mama). The reader can understand how superior Dee was to her sister and mother and how she would put them down. Dee on the other hand is described in the short story as a strong and selfish girl.

The narrator uses Dee’s personality to show the reader how ignorant she is to her heritage. She is a mean and ungrateful woman: “Not ‘Dee,’ Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo! ” (Dee). The reader can acknowledge that Dee changed her name and lost respect towards her real name. Dee is also shown in the short story to as a stuck up and hypocrite woman. Dee stated, “I never knew how lovely these benches are. You can feel the rump prints” (Dee). This is an example of how hypocrite Dee was because she didn’t use to like the bench.

Dee’s appearance is also shown in the story as a pretty girl.She had nice and noticeable legs: “But even the first glimpse of leg out of the car tells me it is Dee. Her feet were always neat looking” (Mama). Dee was also light skinned and had good hair. She was also really attractive. The narrator stated, “Dee is lighter than Maggie, with nicer hair and a fuller figure” (Mama). Dee is shown in the story to be a really smart woman.

She is shown in the short story as a really well educated girl: “She used to read to us without pity; forcing words, lies, other folks habits, whole lives upon us two, sitting trapped and ignorant underneath her voice” (Mama).This is an example that provides to reader to know the way Dee put her education in work. The short story “Everyday Use,” by Alice Walker used characterization to illustrate the reader how a person can be so ignorant to his or her heritage. Heritage is something that shouldn’t be forgotten. In the short story, it is well shown to the reader that heritage plays a big role in a family. This lets the reader know that heritage should always remain in a family and not to be changed drastically.