The Theme of Heritage in Everyday Use Essay - 559 Words

Readers of Alice Walkers, Everyday Use, discusses how the narrator realizes that Maggie understands her own heritage. What does the narrator mean when she says, Just like when Im in church and the spirit of God touches me and I get happy and shout? Does the narrator do something amazing that she has not done before? Some readers opine that the narrator knows what it really feels like to have family. Others say that the narrator recognizes the importance of giving. However, both these readings are not with the point. The narrator realizes that Maggie should have the quilts because they embody her heritage. The title, Everyday Use, has a specific meaning that lashes on to the story. When the narrator, Walker†¦show more content†¦During an evening after dinner, while Wangero rummages through Walkers trunk, she finds two quilts. The quilts that Wangero holds were sewn by Grandma Dee. The quilts each symbolize Maggies heritage. For instance, One quilt is the Lone Star Pattern. The other is Walk Around the Mountain. In both of them are scraps of dresses Grandma Dee wore fifty and more years ago. Another one has bits and pieces of Grandpa Jarrells Paisley shirts. And one teeny faded blue piece, about the size of a penny matchbox, that is from Grandpa Ezras uniform that he wore in the Civil War (125). The general meaning of heritage is the characteristics and traits of a family passed from one generation to the next. In this case, the quilts are being passed down from Grandma Dee and Grandpa Ezra to Walker. But now the question is, who will the quilts pass down to next? Just right after the controversy, Wangero is unsure about if Maggie should have the quilts because Maggie knows how to sew. Wangero says, You just will not understand. The point is these quilts, these quilts! (126). Wangero is attempting to explain to Walker that the quilts have sentimental value. In her own mind, Walker questions Wangero, what would she do with the quilts? Wangeros response is that she would display the quilts. Wangero looks over at Maggie and contemplates about the quilts which she holds in her hands and says, Mama, she can have them, like somebodyShow MoreRelatedTheme of Heritage in Walkers Everyday Use Essay1498 Words   |  6 Pages and disparities between the quality of education affect peoples’ perception of heritage. Everyday Use by Alice Walker was an inspiring story of family and heritage. Simplicity against complexity. The old ways and the new ways. It was about people fighting for change and other people who were content with the way things were. The story takes place in the 60’s orRead MoreHeritage, a Theme in Alice Walker ´s Everyday Use652 Words   |  3 PagesAlice Walker sets Everyday Use as a story of a mother and two daughters where the older daughter, Dee, is coming home to visit them after being away for a while. 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While the focus in Everyday Use, the focus of the heritage was the quilts, and in the final story we could see the truth meaning of heritage it can be concludedRead MoreCharacter Uses In Alice Walkers Everyday Use1095 Words   |  5 Pages The short story â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker begins with the narrator, Mama, and her daughter, Maggie, sitting in the yard that they both prepared and cleaned the day before. They were waiting for Dee, the oldest daughter, that is returning from college in Augusta after seven years of education. Maggie is going to be nervous for as long as Dee stays because of the scars and burns marks she got from the fire in their previous house. 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Alice Walker uses many symbols and motifs such as the following: quilts, education, knowledge, Asalamalakim, and the renaming of Dee. In the story, African heritag e and knowledge takes a major role. The African heritage plays a major role in the story, â€Å"Everyday Use†. Alice WalkerRead More Essay on Appearance vs Reality in Everyday Use and The Gilded Six-Bits1200 Words   |  5 PagesNeale Hurstons Everyday Use and The Gilded Six-Bits  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Gilded Six-Bits it appears that Otis D. Slemmons, the towns newest arrival, is rich, but by closer inspection by Joe Banks and Missie May, is found to be poor.   In Everyday Use, Maggie doesnt appear to be smart enough to honor and appreciate her heritage, but she and not Dee/Wangero is really preserving the family traditions as well as heritage.   Both The Gilded Six-Bits by Zora Neale Hurston and Everyday Use by Alice WalkerRead MoreEveryday Use - the Gift of Family945 Words   |  4 Pages Everyday Use is a short story that teaches a value lesson of heritage, inheritance, the past, and one’s family. For some the lesson maybe perceived as an illustration to develop the natural instinct of valuing our family and our past as objects of everyday use. However, the lesson that Alice Walker conveys to her readers is to understand that the value of heritage is within the eye of the beholder. Within this paper I will explain the strategies; I think the writer uses to convey particularRead MoreThe Meaning of Everyday Use with Characterization1495 Words   |  6 Pagesof Everyday Use with Characterization Analyzing characterization is the key to find fictions controlling idea and central insight--theme. Direct presentation--one character description technique--usually directly shows what characters are like by exposition, analysis, or another characters description. The other way to shape characters is to use the indirect presentation by describing their actions and leaving room for readers to develop their own ideas about the characters. Everyday UseRead MoreStory of an Hour, Everday Use, the Storm963 Words   |  4 PagesKristin Smith 8 November 2009 The theme of a story is whatever general idea or insight the entire story reveals (Kennedy and Goia). In â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, by Kate Chopin, the theme is repression and freedom. In â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker, the theme of the story is being proud of your heritage or your background. In â€Å"The Storm†, by Kate Chopin, the theme is finding happiness or comfort in other things. In â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, the main character Mrs. Mallard, gets news that