Observation
In her story “Every Day Use,” Walker contrasts two sisters’ characters and shows how their different personalities impacted their view of and appreciation for their farming family heritage. Dee is beautiful, intelligent, bold, and active and “‘no’ is a word the world never learned to say to her” (Walker 610). It became known that she “wanted nice things…at sixteen she had a style of her own: and knew what style was” (Walker 611-12). Thus, Dee learns to have her own way and her outspoken, rebellious personality makes her demand much from others. She detests living on a restricting, poor farm with her family, which leads her to move out to school. On the other hand, Maggie is a “chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle” girl …show more content…
After missing her life at home and feeling lost her in her worldly endeavors, Dee comes home and demands to take many items out from the house thinking that they will remind her of who she is. Instead of understanding that she must choose to allow her family heritage to become part of her, she thinks she needs to take items from home with her to remind her of her family and who she is. When Dee reacts in anger after not receiving the quilts, Maggie says that that she herself “can ‘member Grandma Dee without the quilts” and offers them to her sister (Walker 615). Through this, Maggie shares with her sister that her heritage is not based on the items themselves, but it is part of who she is if only she embraces it. In the end, the proud sister feels lost in her life because she tries to find her identity outside of her family while her younger sister remains firmly grounded in her …show more content…
This story contains many parallels that relate it to the story of the prodigal son in the Bible. Like the prodigal son, Dee squanders her heritage in an attempt to find identity in the world. In addition, like the prodigal son, Dee fails to realize that her true identity is found connected to her family. Both characters lose their identity and go back home to rediscover it. Maggie can be compared to the older brother in the parable. In the story, she remains dedicated to her family heritage and stay connected with her mother. Unlike the brother to the prodigal, however, she acts more wisely and humbly by accepting her sister back home after she leaves. By remaining connected with her family history, she retains her identity, knows who she is, and does not need to have a piece of her history with her because she is part of it. In the same way, Christians can try to find their identity in the “glamor of the world” outside of Christ. However, like Dee, they will feel lost trying to find who they are outside of Christ’s family. In Christ, we will discover our identity and find true purpose and
In her story “Every Day Use,” Walker contrasts two sisters’ characters and shows how their different personalities impacted their view of and appreciation for their farming family heritage. Dee is beautiful, intelligent, bold, and active and “‘no’ is a word the world never learned to say to her” (Walker 610). It became known that she “wanted nice things…at sixteen she had a style of her own: and knew what style was” (Walker 611-12). Thus, Dee learns to have her own way and her outspoken, rebellious personality makes her demand much from others. She detests living on a restricting, poor farm with her family, which leads her to move out to school. On the other hand, Maggie is a “chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle” girl …show more content…
After missing her life at home and feeling lost her in her worldly endeavors, Dee comes home and demands to take many items out from the house thinking that they will remind her of who she is. Instead of understanding that she must choose to allow her family heritage to become part of her, she thinks she needs to take items from home with her to remind her of her family and who she is. When Dee reacts in anger after not receiving the quilts, Maggie says that that she herself “can ‘member Grandma Dee without the quilts” and offers them to her sister (Walker 615). Through this, Maggie shares with her sister that her heritage is not based on the items themselves, but it is part of who she is if only she embraces it. In the end, the proud sister feels lost in her life because she tries to find her identity outside of her family while her younger sister remains firmly grounded in her …show more content…
This story contains many parallels that relate it to the story of the prodigal son in the Bible. Like the prodigal son, Dee squanders her heritage in an attempt to find identity in the world. In addition, like the prodigal son, Dee fails to realize that her true identity is found connected to her family. Both characters lose their identity and go back home to rediscover it. Maggie can be compared to the older brother in the parable. In the story, she remains dedicated to her family heritage and stay connected with her mother. Unlike the brother to the prodigal, however, she acts more wisely and humbly by accepting her sister back home after she leaves. By remaining connected with her family history, she retains her identity, knows who she is, and does not need to have a piece of her history with her because she is part of it. In the same way, Christians can try to find their identity in the “glamor of the world” outside of Christ. However, like Dee, they will feel lost trying to find who they are outside of Christ’s family. In Christ, we will discover our identity and find true purpose and