The Character of Dee in Everyday Use by Alice Walker

Table of Contents

• Dee's Quest for Realness
• Family Ties Under Strain
• What Dee's Choices Mean
• Wrapping It Up

The Character of Dee in Everyday Use

Everyday Use, a short story by Alice Walker, dives into the messy world of family, heritage, and figuring out who you are. The story’s got this character named Dee who’s super interesting because she seems kinda torn about what her roots mean to her. As we dig into what Dee does and says—and all the symbols scattered through the text—it’s clear she’s wrestling with reconnecting to her cultural roots. This essay looks closely at Dee, focusing on her need for something real, how things get rough with her family, and what her actions really tell us.

Dee's Quest for Realness

So there’s Dee—also called Wangero now—who wants so bad to link back to her African roots. She switches up her name and starts wearing these clothes that have African vibes. It all shows when she says, “I couldn’t bear it any longer, being named after the people who oppress me” (Walker, 1973). Changing her name isn’t just a whim; it’s about finding herself in connection to Africa.

And then there's the stuff she wants—like old quilts from their house that her ancestors made. To Dee, those quilts are more than blankets; they’re pieces of history and culture she wants to show off like museum artifacts. This hunt for realness? It screams that she's trying hard to find where she belongs.

Family Ties Under Strain

This whole new identity thing puts a wedge between Dee and her family, mainly with her mom and sister Maggie. See, while Dee thinks they don’t get their heritage, for them it's part of everyday life—not just about keeping things or having a flashy new name.

You can really feel the tension when Dee comes home after being gone awhile. She talks smack about their house like it’s a dump and doesn’t hide how unimpressed she is with their simple life. This attitude makes it tough for Mom and Maggie who find happiness in what they've got.

The drama ramps up over those quilts too. Dee sees them as art pieces; her family sees them as useful items they use every day. This clash shows how out of sync Dee is with how they see their own heritage.

What Dee's Choices Mean

What happens because of Dee’s choices? A lot! Her dropping her birth name for something new speaks to anyone caught between personal identity and cultural history. That urge for authenticity hits home for lots trying to understand where they came from.

The strained bonds with her family also point out how family dynamics aren’t always smooth sailing—especially when views on heritage clash big time. It reminds us that heritage isn’t fixed but changes based on individual takes and experiences.

In doing what she does, Dee forces everyone else to reflect on their own grasp of heritage and what it means for who they are.

Wrapping It Up

Dee from Everyday Use? She's like a walking example of the trials faced when someone tries getting back in touch with where they're from culturally speaking. Her thirst for realness along with rocky relations at home showcase the messiness tied up in personal identity versus heritage questions.

This character pushes readers—in subtle ways—to think deeply about what heritage means personally. Is it static? Or maybe more like an ever-shifting puzzle piece?

Works Cited

• Alice Walker (1973). Everyday Use. In Love and Trouble: Stories of Black Women.
• Baker, H.A., & Pierce-Baker, C.M.L., eds., (1990). Black Women Writers (1950-1980): A Critical Evaluation.
• Culler, Jonathan (2000). Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction.
• Sontag, Susan (1982). A Susan Sontag Reader.
• Lorde, Audre (1984). Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches.