Alice Walker Essay, Research Paper

Everyday Use Knowing the meaning of Heritage

By

English 1302

Professor Hubbell

31 July 2000

Knowing the meaning of heritage in Everyday Use

The story ?Everyday Use?, is being told by a mother who describes herself as a big boned woman, with a second grade education. She had always had to do the work of a man to provide for her family. A mother of two girls with different views on the family culture. Dee, a light skinned girl with nice hair and a full figure. Dee has always scorned the way the family lived. She comes home to visit and wants to take back some of the family heritage, such as Grandma Dee?s quilts. Maggie, a dark skinned, slim and shy girl, who has never been away from home. Maggie has a different love for the family heritage she will continue to carry it on, like quilting. While Dee and Maggie lived in the same house growing up, they have different believes about their heritage.

Two women sat in the yard awaiting a visit from the older daughter, Dee, and a man who may are may not be husband. Dee, was very hard on the family?s way of life, has gone to college and now seems to be a distant memory. Her mother imagines of being reunited with her daughter on television. She visions the perfect reunion someone would tell her what a fine daughter she has raised. Dee would come out in tears embracing her mother and pinning and orchid on her dress. Maggie, who is not bright and bears scars from a server house fire many years ago still, remains intimidated by her glamorous sibling.

Her mother was astonished; Dee arrive wearing an ankle-length, gold and orange dress, bracelets and gold earrings hanging down to her shoulders. Her hair ?it stand straight up like hair the wool on a sheep?(Walker 283). Dee greets her family with a Swahili good morning. Her companion offers a Muslim greeting and tries to show Maggie a ceremonial handshake that she does not understand. Dee mother tried to start a conversation with Dee by calling her name. Dee explain that she?s change her name to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo, because ?I couldn?t bear it any longer, being named after the people who oppress me?(Walker 283). Wangero mother attempted to explain to her how far back her name go into the family history.

Dee had been embarrass of her mothers house and possessions when she was younger (the mother believe she was happy when the old house burn down), but now she seem to be happy with the old way of life. With her newfound joy with her cultural heritage, she takes photographs of the house, including her mom, sister, and a wandering cow.

Dee, while eating, remembered she wanted to ask her mother if she could have the butter churn top whittled by her Uncle Buddy, do she may use it as a centerpiece for her table. Dee, after getting the churn top, she then ask for the dasher. Now her attention turns to a trunk at the foot of her mother?s bed. After she goes through the trunk, she returns with two quilts. ?The quilts become symbolic of the story?s theme; in a sense, they represent the past of the women in the family?(Master Plots 733).

Dee asks if she can have the quilts. Maggie in disbelief that Dee asked for the quilts slammed the kitchen door. The mother offers some other quilts that were in the trunk to her, she refused because the quilts because they were made with a machine. Then she tells Dee that she had promised the quilts to Maggie a wedding present. Dee tells her mother that Maggie would not appreciate the quilts and that she would use them in ?everyday use?. Dee?s mother says she hope Maggie would use the quilts. ?The two sister?s values concerning the quilt represent the two meaning approaches to art appreciation in our society. Art can be valued for financial and aesthetic reasons, or it can be valued for personal and emotional reasons?(Jokinen)