Everyday Use By Alice Walker

This story’s main character is Mama, a black woman who grew up during a time of slavery. We see everything from her point of view; her thoughts, her emotions, and her past. It is through Mama’s inner monologue that we learn of Maggie and Dee’s personalities and how she feels about both of them. Through Mama, one of the first things we see is how distant the relationship between her and Dee is. She fantasizes about reuniting with her on a television program where Dee hugs her with tears in her eyes. This fantasy shows not only how distant they are to each other, but also how distant Dee is with her family. Mama’s thoughts then dwell on Dee’s education and sophistication. She reveals to us that Dee has always acted as if she were superior to

“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.

Momma's point of view defines how she feels about her daughters and the degrees of separation that exist between the two girls. Momma describes Maggie as a partially educated child who does not look as appealing as her older sister. Maggie was burned in a house fire that left her scared all over her body. She does not wear revealing clothes, nor does she attract men as Dee does. Dee, on the other hand, is described as an educated young woman who is ready to take on any and every adventure. Momma says that Dee used to read to her and Maggie without pity (94). She describes Dee as the stylish child; she always prepared dresses out of momma's old suits and is always up on the current style. Momma likes the different qualities Dee possesses, but she is slightly threatened because they are unfamiliar to her. From the description that momma gives of her daughters the reader can feel the differences that exist in her thoughts about her daughters.

In Alice Walker's short story "Everyday Use" Mama is the narrator. She speaks of her family of two daughters Maggie and Dee. Through the eyes of two daughters, Dee and Maggie, who have chosen to live their lives in very different manners, the reader can choose which character to identify most with by judging what is really important in one’s life. Throughout the story three themes consistently show. These themes show that the family is separated by shame, knowledge, and pride.

In “Everyday Use,” the reader understands that Mama’s feelings shift from feeling proud of her daughter to being distraught with her daughter’s

Alice Walker is a writer of many powerful short stories, novels, essays and poetry. She used her work to bring black women’s lives to the main focus, such as the rich and important in the US American Literature. In the short story “Everyday Use” written by Alice walker, she showed the conflicts and struggle throughout the African- American culture. “Everyday Use” addresses the dilemma with African Americans, trying to escape prejudice and poverty. The short story “Everyday Use” focuses on the encounter between a mother and her daughters. The setting of the story takes place in the driveway of the mother’s house. The mother and her youngest daughter Maggie wait for her oldest daughter Dee and her male friend to visit from school. Alice

The short story “Everyday Use” was written by Alice Walker and published in 1973. The story is told in first-person by “Mama,” an African-American woman residing in Georgia. Mama lives in a small but comfortable house with her physically scarred younger daughter, Maggie. Mama is preparing for the visit back home of her eldest daughter, Dee. Dee is educated and driven; however, we come to learn that most of her accomplishments come at the cost of her mother and her sister Maggie. Mama’s relationship with Dee is strained, and this creates conflict later in the story. “Everyday Use” depicts the complications between a mother and daughter’s relationship. The story examines the feelings a mother has when she believes she is not needed anymore or respected. Mama’s feelings towards both daughters are illustrated through two of Mama’s character traits, her low-self-esteem and lack of worldliness. However, because Mama has such a strong character and understanding of her family, she undergoes a significant change in her life, which then makes her into a dynamic character.

The story 'Everyday Use', written by Alice Walker, is a story of heritage, pride, and learning what kind of person you really are. In the exposition, the story opens with background information about Dee and Maggie's life, which is being told by Mama. The reader learns that Dee was the type of child that had received everything that she wanted, while Maggie was the complete opposite. The crisis, which occurs later in the story, happens when Dee all of a sudden comes home a different person than she was when she left. During the Climax, Mama realizes that she has often neglected her other child, Maggie, by always giving Dee what she wants. Therefore, in the resolution, Mama defends Maggie by telling Dee that she cannot have the

In her short story “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker summarizes the representation of the beauty, the conflicts and struggles within African-American culture. “Everyday Use” focuses mainly between members of the Johnson family, consisting of a mother and her two daughters. One of the daughters Maggie, who was injured in a house fire and has living a shy life clinging to her mother for security. Her older sister is Dee, who grew up with a grace and natural beauty. “Dee is lighter than Maggie, with nicer hair and a fuller figure… (716) She also grew up determined to have a better life than her mother and sister. This takes place when Dee (the only family member to receive a formal education) returns to visit Dee’s mother and younger sister Maggie. Again this portrays a slight issue between two different views of the African-American culture. Alice uses symbolism to empathize the difference between these interpretations, showing that culture and heritage are parts of daily life. The title of the story, Everyday Use, symbolizes the living heritage of the Johnson family, a heritage that is still in “everyday use”.

They everyday use of an item differs from person to person. There can be one item that has many uses or many items that has the same use. For example, a simple rubber band to most is simply a hair tie, but did you know it can also be used to make opening jars easier, tye dye eggs and shirts? It’s all about the way you see things. In the short story “everyday Use” by Alice Walker, it shows the difference of opinion two sisters can have based on the way they perceive themselves.

Everyday Use is a compelling story of a mother's conflicting relationships with her two daughters. Maggie, which the mother feels contains more practical and traditional ways of living life and then Dee her oldest and most promising daughter, who she feels has broken away from tradition and has lost a lot of their heritage. At first glance you would see this as the normal mother daughter spat of maybe the wild child versus the little miss do right. This story holds a much deeper and important meaning. Everyday use tells the struggle to keep hold of African American culture in the late 1960’s early 1970’s, when most African Americans were searching for their roots. Many

Alice Walker, a protuberant African American writer from the rural South, understood all too well this idea of “double consciousness”, which she demonstrated in many of her writings. In her short story, “Everyday Use”, Walker makes the African American struggle palpable and brings it into the present by interlacing the double consciousness into characters and settings that investigate the social and personal struggles facing the African American people. In her story, she has three main characters Mama, Dee, and Maggie. Walker incorporates the struggle of being an African American as the centerpiece of her story “Everyday Use.” The author uses Mama, who is unwilling to submit to the expectations of white America and what it must offer. Mama is not in a rush to pick at herself to be accepted into America. The next character Maggie is also not in a rush to grow up and get in line with the rest of society and being a part of the White supremacy that her nation must offer. Finally, Dee, Mama’s oldest is returning from college and does

Throughout "Everyday Use", the author illustrates that both daughters are treated differently, which makes the relationship between the two daughters discrete. Dee's and Mama relationship is based on the pride and emotions her mother receives from the life Dee lives. For Example, Mama says " Sometimes I dream a dream in which Dee and I are suddenly brought on a TV program of this sort." As the story progresses, mama notices Dee's life has made her very conceited. Dee became very judgmental of the life Mama and Maggie are living. Unlike Dee who is very independent and educated, Maggie is pure, uneducated, and very loyal to her mother and rural black culture. Maggie's relationship with her mom is mostly one sided because even though Maggie is

In the short story “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, Mama, who is the narrator, was the character who showed the most perseverance. She is the mother of Dee and Maggie. Mama works hard daily. She is strong but also a realist. When her home burns down, along with her daughter being badly burnt she pushes through.

Maggie, the youngest daughter, saw herself as a shy, introverted youthful woman. She had scars mentally and physically from when their house had burned down some years before, and she is very ashamed of them. Once Dee and her