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A Comparison Of 'Girl And Everyday Use'

Decent Essays

Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl” and Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” share a common theme of the expectations of ones heritage. For instance “Everyday Use” explores cultural norms of cultural practices. Dee and Mama argue over whether the family heirlooms should be preserved or used. While “Girl” focuses on the strict culture norms of what it means to be a respected women in her environment. The girls’ mother has a set of rules that her daughter must obey so she can be viewed positively. “Everyday Use” and “Girl” challenge the norm of their time. “Everyday Use” which was published in 1973 goes against thoughts held during the black power movement regarding cultural preservation. “Girl” which was published in 1978 argues that girls should not have to follow the social norm to be respected. Both stories challenge the commonly held beliefs of their time.
Both “Girl” and “Everyday Use” highlight the relationship that mothers and daughters have with each other. In the beginning of Girl the mother gives her daughter instructions on how to wash cloths. (Wash the white clothes on Monday and put them on the stone heap; wash the color clothes on Tuesday and put them on the clothesline …show more content…

In “Everyday Use” the setting is revealed when Dee shows up in a car and starts to take pictures of her family and the farm animals. In “Girl” the setting takes place at their house during the instruction on how to clean the house. (This is how you sweep a corner; this is how sweep a whole house; this is how you sweep a yard). The daughters in “Everyday Use” have different views on their heritage. This creates conflict over what to do with the family quilts. Meanwhile in “Girl” the mother is still instructing the daughter on how she should act. (Don’t walk barhead in the hot sun; cook pumpkin fritters in very hot sweet oil; soak your little clothes right after you take them off.) The values of the mother are passed down on to the

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