The short story “Everyday Use” written by Alice Walker highlights the lives of an African-American family and their heritage. In the story, Mama and her daughter Maggie live together in their home and Maggie’s older sister Dee comes to visit. Dee is well-educated and confident, but rejects her heritage in comparison to Maggie who is illiterate, but has a good sense of her background. This passage represents the lack of appreciation and understanding of cultural heritage in modern society.
Without family heritage people can be missing a sense of community or fulfillment in their lives. In the quotation “It is three rooms, just like the one that burned, except the roof is tin; they don’t make shingle roofs any more. There are no real windows, …show more content…
In the quotation “Impressed with her they worshiped the well-turned phrase, the cute shape, the scalding humor that erupted like bubbles in lye. She read to them.” (Walker 51) Dee influences other people to adore her by using societal values such as education and beauty. Dee’s success with these societal norms cause her to feel superior to those around her and perceive them as beneath her. Moreover, the people surrounding her that act in awe of her only contribute to her self-pride. If Dee truly understood her family heritage she would not see it as something to hide, she would recognize that none of these people are inferior to her and that they all have supported and helped her to get where she is …show more content…
In the quotation “When she was courting Jimmy T she didn’t have much time to pay to us, but turned all her faultfinding power on him. He flew to marry a cheap city girl from a family of ignorant flashy people.” (Walker 51) Dee was attracted to Jimmy, but he left her for someone in the city. This quotation shows Dee trying to escape from her life at home, eager to liberate herself from her heritage and leave behind her family by marrying Jimmy. In addition, the author placed emphasis on the word flew by using italics to highlight the fact that the boy left Dee for someone in the city. Even though Dee was highly educated it was not enough to keep the boy, which she blames on her farmer background and that if she came from a family from the city she would not have lost Jimmy to that other girl. Consequently, this contributed to Dee rejecting her heritage and creating a new identity as an accomplished and intelligent individual.
In conclusion, there is no doubt that the author wanted to emphasize the importance of family heritage as people become less connected to their history in today’s society. Heritage plays an important part of people’s upbringing to give them a sense of belonging and community. Also, it helps to teach them to value sentimental views over materialistic views and their heritage is an important part of their identity. Family history is critical in ensuring that people grow
Without family heritage people can be missing a sense of community or fulfillment in their lives. In the quotation “It is three rooms, just like the one that burned, except the roof is tin; they don’t make shingle roofs any more. There are no real windows, …show more content…
In the quotation “Impressed with her they worshiped the well-turned phrase, the cute shape, the scalding humor that erupted like bubbles in lye. She read to them.” (Walker 51) Dee influences other people to adore her by using societal values such as education and beauty. Dee’s success with these societal norms cause her to feel superior to those around her and perceive them as beneath her. Moreover, the people surrounding her that act in awe of her only contribute to her self-pride. If Dee truly understood her family heritage she would not see it as something to hide, she would recognize that none of these people are inferior to her and that they all have supported and helped her to get where she is …show more content…
In the quotation “When she was courting Jimmy T she didn’t have much time to pay to us, but turned all her faultfinding power on him. He flew to marry a cheap city girl from a family of ignorant flashy people.” (Walker 51) Dee was attracted to Jimmy, but he left her for someone in the city. This quotation shows Dee trying to escape from her life at home, eager to liberate herself from her heritage and leave behind her family by marrying Jimmy. In addition, the author placed emphasis on the word flew by using italics to highlight the fact that the boy left Dee for someone in the city. Even though Dee was highly educated it was not enough to keep the boy, which she blames on her farmer background and that if she came from a family from the city she would not have lost Jimmy to that other girl. Consequently, this contributed to Dee rejecting her heritage and creating a new identity as an accomplished and intelligent individual.
In conclusion, there is no doubt that the author wanted to emphasize the importance of family heritage as people become less connected to their history in today’s society. Heritage plays an important part of people’s upbringing to give them a sense of belonging and community. Also, it helps to teach them to value sentimental views over materialistic views and their heritage is an important part of their identity. Family history is critical in ensuring that people grow