The Meaning Of Heritage In Everyday Use By Alice Walker

In the short story “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker writes about the Johnson family and their life in the rural South of the United States. Mama and her daughter Maggie wait for Mama’s other daughter, Dee (Wangero), to arrive with her boyfriend, Hakim-a-barber. After their arrival, Dee begins to takes tools and quilts that have been passed down through the family to preserve them. Mama and Dee discuss what the quilts mean to them but have differing views because Dee is educated, which leads to Mama keeping the quilts for Maggie. Throughout the short story “Everyday Use,” Mama and Dee portray their opposing viewpoints on the true meaning of heritage. In the beginning of “Everyday Use,” Mama anticipates the arrival of Dee and Hakim-a-barber by tidying up her yard, making sure every detail is perfect. In Mama’s mind this is part of showing respect and displaying her own heritage. “Lacking the education and background to create through elite media such as sculpture or painting, Mama expresses her heritage and creativity through ordering her front yard and furnishing her home with artifacts crafted by her ancestors” (Noe). Mama cleaning up yard may be attributed to her lack of education and therefore inability to show her imagination in other ways. Nevertheless Mama is proud of her heritage and upbringings despite her lack of formal …show more content…
To Wangero, formerly Dee, heritage is just artifacts and heirlooms that have some historical significance. To Mama heritage is a way of life and family values. Wangero bases her knowledge of heritage on her formal education instead of family. Mama may not be educated but she knows her family history and puts family above all else. Throughout “Everyday Use,” Wangero believes that she is respecting her heritage but little does she know, she is disrespecting the most important heritage of all, family