Everyday Use By Alice Walker: Literary Response

Literary Response Paper: In Alice Walker’s short story, “Everyday Use”, it is evident that contradicting perspectives of the main characters reveals the discrepancy in demonstrating the values of one’s heritage and culture. The plot is greatly influenced by Maggie and Dee, the two daughters of the narrator. This short story displays on how two sisters raised by the same person, their mother, can grow up and differ tremendously. Moreover, their conflicting characters are easily portrayed in the conflict that occurs over the most significant symbol; the hand sewn quilt. Both Maggie and Dee come from the same African American background and were raised by the same mother. Their mother was only educated up until the second grade because they …show more content…
Even though both sisters desired to please their mom and be able to show gratitude for their backgrounds they do so in different ways. As Dee scurries to go off and get an education and better herself, Maggie has no desire to because she knows that she will marry John Thomas and live a humble living. While Dee is off getting an education she strives to immerse herself in her own culture in a way that appears to be superficial and distant. It is evident that Dee hasn’t grasp her culture to it’s fullest extent. Dee goes away to college and it is implied that she joins a black muslim group. This group influences her African roots, and reject the reality of her American heritage (White). When Dee comes home she comes unannounced with her boyfriend, Hakim-a- barber, and the mother mentions that she first takes a picture of “...me and Maggie and the house” as if she were a visitor (Kriszner pg 258). Then when her mother calls her Dee she corrects her and says, “Not Dee, ‘Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo!” because she “could not bear it any longer, being named after people who oppress me” (Krizsner pg 258).