A person’s personal culture is something that shapes and tells others who you are. And because it is your own personal culture it is different from everyone else, even your own family. Such as, in Alice Walker’s short story “Everyday Use” you are introduced to Mrs. Johnson and her daughter Maggie getting ready for the return of Dee. While the two of them are waiting for Dee, Walker takes you through the thoughts of Mrs. Johnson about her two daughters and how she views them as well as herself. Along with her thoughts of her family, Mrs. Johnson takes the time to have pride in the work she put in to get everything looking nice especially her front yard. As Mrs. Johnson was deep in thought, Dee arrives in a flashy dress and with a greeting that
…show more content…
Johnson that is the forefront of her personal culture is her work ethic. You are first able to see this work ethic at the beginning of the story when Mrs. Johnson is describing her front yard. In her description, she says that she and Maggie had “swept it clean as a floor” as well as “lined the edges with tiny irregular grooves in the sand” (54). The way she describes the work she had put into her yard shows that when she wants to get something done she gets it done with hard work and precision. For instance, when she compares the yard to a cleanly swept floor she is saying that she has taken the time to smooth out the clay that has most likely been trampled by her animals. And while she is smoothing out the clay she is also cleaning it off enough to where all you can see is the clay and no other objects such as leaves further making it look like a floor. Along with the clay floor that she has prepared she also had taken the time to make “irregular grooves” into the sand on the outer edges to give it a more extravagant look (54). In doing this she demonstrates how much pride she takes in her work while also showing how strong her work ethic is even when doing menial and precise tasks. Other than performing menial tasks Mrs. Johnson also demonstrates her work ethic when she raises the money to “send Dee to Augusta” (56). This act of kindness must have been extremely difficult since she and her family were poor. Walker portrays their low social standing by showing that they are only able to get the necessities they need by either building it, such as their furniture. Or getting it themselves such as milking a cow or butchering their own food since they are not able to afford to buy it from a store. Despite being poor Mrs. Johnson was still able to get all the money she needed. In doing these two things it shows how strong her work ethic and her views of beauty tie into her personal
Johnson that is the forefront of her personal culture is her work ethic. You are first able to see this work ethic at the beginning of the story when Mrs. Johnson is describing her front yard. In her description, she says that she and Maggie had “swept it clean as a floor” as well as “lined the edges with tiny irregular grooves in the sand” (54). The way she describes the work she had put into her yard shows that when she wants to get something done she gets it done with hard work and precision. For instance, when she compares the yard to a cleanly swept floor she is saying that she has taken the time to smooth out the clay that has most likely been trampled by her animals. And while she is smoothing out the clay she is also cleaning it off enough to where all you can see is the clay and no other objects such as leaves further making it look like a floor. Along with the clay floor that she has prepared she also had taken the time to make “irregular grooves” into the sand on the outer edges to give it a more extravagant look (54). In doing this she demonstrates how much pride she takes in her work while also showing how strong her work ethic is even when doing menial and precise tasks. Other than performing menial tasks Mrs. Johnson also demonstrates her work ethic when she raises the money to “send Dee to Augusta” (56). This act of kindness must have been extremely difficult since she and her family were poor. Walker portrays their low social standing by showing that they are only able to get the necessities they need by either building it, such as their furniture. Or getting it themselves such as milking a cow or butchering their own food since they are not able to afford to buy it from a store. Despite being poor Mrs. Johnson was still able to get all the money she needed. In doing these two things it shows how strong her work ethic and her views of beauty tie into her personal