Alice Walker Everyday Use Essay

In contrast of “Everyday Use” written by Alice Walker, the use of her character Dee discovers a different and special way to make a description of what Baldwin calls the “ambiguity and irony of Negro life.” Dee really did not want to resemble her

Alice Walker juxtaposes Maggie with her sister, Dee, to demonstrate how society denigrates not only African-American women but women in general in the 1970s. Early on in the story, Maggie is described as nervous, hopelessly standing in the corner. Later she is described as nearly hidden from view. On a metaphorical level, Maggie is the symbol of the lack of power women held in the 1970s. She is the epitome of the silent female homemaker. On the other hand, Dee is assertive, “will look you right in the eye.” She serves as a symbol of the free, successful modern woman. However, her assertiveness might come off as cockiness, and too much pride. By contrasting Maggie and Dee, Alice Walker is expressing both sides of the female role during that time.

The character types in this story would be one dynamic character, one flat, and one static character. The role of the dynamic character in the story is “Maggie”, the daughter that is described in detail as well as a very in-depth look at her personal psyche. How Walker builds her character in the story starting from meek and sheepish to end up being the justified victor in the end is classic dynamic character definition. The flat character role in the story would have to be “Dee” the sister that is described just enough to give the reader an idea of who she is and what she is about. The reader is almost biased toward “Dee” by the end of reading because of the few details they are given to base their ideas from. The central character in Alice Walker's "Everyday Use," the beautiful Dee Johnson, breaks away from her Deep Southern American roots to become the heavily educated, urbanized, modernized young woman who despises her cultural setting”.(Hoel) The static character is the narrator or

She is protective, and loving to Maggie. Mama realizes that Dee who is lighter skinned, and with other physical attributes admired by others will fare better in life, although she acknowledges some of Dee's flaws to herself. She also recognizes that Dee is better able to care for herself.

As far as the narrator is concerned, Dee was named after her aunt Dicie, who was

Alice Walker skillfully crafts the character of Dee Johnson in the short story "Everyday Use." From the first paragraph, Walker begins to weave the portrait of Dee, who at first seems shallow in many aspects. Dee becomes a more complex character, however, as the story unfolds. Blessed with both brains and good looks, Dee emerges as someone who is still struggling with her identity and heritage.

     Pride is the theme that seems to separate this family the most. It's having pride versus not having it. Maggie doesn't have it. She does not speak for herself when Dee wants the quilts. She lets mama speak for her. Like a scalded dog, she hides behind Mama when Dee arrives. Mama compares Maggie to a "Lame animal…run over by a car…"(Walker 88). Pride mostly comes from respect and she doesn't get much. Dee maybe has too much pride. This probably comes from "the world not knowing how to say no to her." She has looks and she's what one would describe as

In Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”, Dee Johnson also known as Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo is a young self-observed married woman, who affects the people around her by getting everything she wants. Dee gets into an argument with her mother and her younger sister about a quilt her grandmother had worked on in which Dee wants to keep to hang up but her mother finally sees how Dee’s self centered ways have affected her and her daughter maggie and tells Dee that she can not have the quilt. Compared to Maggie, Dee has a fuller figure, black straight hair, and nice feet as if God had made them a “certain shape.” Dee enjoys to have nice clothing and when she visits her family she wears a bright yellow and orange dress that touches the ground, even though hot weather Dee wears clothing that stands out from the original clothing from what her mother usually sees looking like “a dress so loud it hurts my eyes.” Dee is described to be a carefree person who wants the glam life and wants to alter the way her past life was.

“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, is a story of a black family composed of a mother and her two daughters: Maggie and Dee. Walker does an excellent job illustrating her characters. There are all types of characters in this short story from round to static. Dee is a flat character, yet Walker uses Dee’s character to warn people of what might happen if they do not live properly. Walker describes Dee’s character as arrogant and selfish, and through Dee’s character one is allowed to perceive the wicked effect of an egotistical world.

As the story advances however, Dee does get more complex and is demonstrated to be battling with her own particular personality and heritage. Concrete subtle elements are expressed about Dee that lead you to know she is beautiful, smart and certain. Dee is described as thin with a little waste. She is a light cleaned dark individuals with a decent review hair. She is also well educated. Dee is fashion conscience, continually needing more pleasant things that were not affordable to her family. First and foremost of the story, Dee’s mother and sister, Maggie are is getting ready for Dee’s entry for a visit. Here is the place you get the first flash of Dee’s obvious identity. Maggie is portrayed by her mother as being apprehensive until after Dee goes when Dee hasn’t arrived yet. This persuades that maybe Maggie is threatened by Dee and maybe feels inferior compared to Dee. Dee’s mother discuss dreaming a fantasy about being welcomed by Dee with a grasp and tears in her eyes. All things considered Dee’s mother and sister don’t appear to feel just as they truly measures up to what Dee expects or needs them will be Dee’s mother never had much of an education and Dee’s mother raised enough cash to send Dee off to school. Maggie is specified as having poor sight and not being brilliant. Dee the again is smart.

While the two sisters perspectives on heritage contrast each other, Walker employs a case of dramatic irony to prove that Dee's perspective is wrong, which automatically proves that Maggie is right, considering their opposite characteristics. Dee

Throughout the story, Walker personifies the different sides of culture and heritage in the characters of Dee and the mother (the narrator). Dee can be seen to represent a materialistic, complex, and modern way of life where culture and heritage

The writer surely has a closed-off version of gender, opposing Judith Butlers’ opinions and ideals. Wherein Butler recognises gender as a dependent term on the individual as who they recognise to be, Walker’s version is a lot more boxed in. She defines Dee as a woman because of her curves, because of her beauty. There is also an added build-up of bitterness to and from Dee because she has chosen to become educated, and move away from her family, rather than to focus her attentions on her heritage. It is a subtle distaste for the way Dee behaves.

Alice Walker crafts the character of Dee Johnson in the short story “Everyday Use” in a clever way. Starting from the first paragraph, Walker creates an image of Dee, who at first seems very shallow. Dee then becomes a more complex character as the story progresses. Blessed with both brains and beauty, Dee emerges as someone who is still struggling with her identity and heritage.

Although the story "Everyday Use" is narrated from Mama's point of view, Alice Walker reveals Dee, Mama's eldest daughter, to be the central character. Dee remains essentially unchanged throughout the story. Even though Dee achieves her aim by overcoming complications such as poverty and racial discrimination, she is not admirable for her achievements and courage. Walker describes her to be selfish and self-centered, a woman who remains unchanged from her childhood to the current position after several years. The disregard for her sister's pain, ingratitude for the money raised for her education, and the desire for quilts indicates her static behavior.