Literary Analysis of Everyday Use by Alice Walker

‘Everyday Use’ is an Alice Walker short tale narrated in the first person by ‘Mama,’ an African-American woman living in the Deep South with one of her two kids. The narrative contrasts Mrs. Johnson’s educated, prosperous daughter Dee—or ‘Wangero,’ as she prefers to be called—who chooses a different path to regaining her ethnic identity with her shy, younger daughter Maggie, who still practices traditional black culture in the rural South. And in this paper, we will look at the literary analysis of Everyday Use by Alice Walker.

Some might argue that Alice Walker uses Dee to symbolize how people didn’t put their culture into ‘everyday use.’ However, upon closer examination, I truly agree with the author Alice walker for expressing her sympathy for Mama and Maggie. The main reasons are Mama thinks how Dee’s demeanor towards them changed as she became educated, Dee’s lack of awareness of her culture is a sign of the Black Power movement’s disregard for her American heritage which on the other hand modern era challenges social bias and fights against racial groups.

Mama thinks how Dee’s demeanor towards them changed as she became educated because when she looks around the yard and at Maggie, sparking thoughts of Dee’s unhappy childhood in their home, she was frustrated with her family and their poverty, her desire for a better-quality clothing and education. These personality characteristics, along with her style of dress and expressions, establish her image as a representative of another identity. Which showed that Mama and Maggie didn’t care for what Dee’s inspired. Mama was always looking forward to have a good relation with her daughter Dee. She pictures herself getting out of a limousine and chatting to a Johnny Carson-like television host. She and Dee embrace in their daydream, tears in their hearts. But in reality, her true personality doesn’t show on television and her vision of her television reunion with Dee breaks when compares herself as she is in real life.

Dee’s lack of awareness of her culture is a sign of another Identity from her family’s disregard for her American heritage. Dee’s uncertainty about her origins derives from her attitude towards the quilts and other household objects. The benches were physically made by her father because they could afford to purchase a decent chair. Her appreciation for them seems to reflect a desire to admire handmade items rather than a genuine interest in their heritage. Quilting is part of the culture of the family. Mama promises to give Maggie a quilt for her union to John Thomas, a local man. Mama recalls, but kept to herself, the fact that she presented Dee a family quilt before she went to college, and even that Dee didn’t want it at that time, though it was too old-fashioned

On the other hand, looking at Dee’s perspective she is the symbol of the future era, she wanted to be someone that can appreciate both world where in the present or future. She has a world very distinct from what she’s leaving behind. This paragraph allows Walker to give Dee a much more positive view. The aim is to humanize Dee as a good person. Her Polaroid and the car she returned to was markedly different from the conveniences of her mama and sister. They used ‘the benches’ instead of chairs, ‘the churn,’ and other ‘stuff.’ The negative images of black American culture represent the separation of the young generation from their group. African Americans are looking for meaning in their roots and traditions. She rejoices her historical and cultural links with the African culture. ‘Dee’s hair ‘stands straight up like a wool on a calf’ and ‘Maggie’s hair is on her navel,’ Alice Walker, pointing to two African-sounding names.

Walker demonstrates how heritage is primarily shaped by experience and traditions handed down by one generation to the next. Dee doesn’t care if she had the quilts handed on to her. She was more interested of the ideas of showing it off. There will be no part of the sacred and priceless artifacts that remain in her home. While much of Dee’s advantages are lacking, Maggie is worthy of pursuing family tradition. Maggie pointed out that she uses the quilts as a symbol of her grandma and aunt.

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