Everyday Use By Alice Walker Analysis Essay
In the short story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker, the author chooses to place emphasizes the aspects of individuality. The story centers around the lives of two sisters, Maggie and Dee. Even though both sisters have grown up together under the same conditions, they clearly have become two very distinct individuals with contrasting views regarding their past, present, and future.
The story begins with Mama and Maggie waiting for the arrival of Dee, who had moved away to attend a college in Augusta. She was the first, and only one from her family to receive that level of higher education. Dee’s decision to attend school caused a deeper separation gap between her family and her. When Dee arrived, and is stepping out of the car, their mom observes …show more content…
She was always concerned with the way that people perceived her. As she was looking around she spotted two handmade quilts that contained scraps of clothe that date back to the Civil War. Dee envisioned these quilts hanging on her walls for people to look at and see. To her surprise, Mama has already promised them to Maggie when she came of age. At this point, Dee becomes very upset and says, “Maggie would be backwards enough to put them to everyday use” (Walker p.1,536). Dee puts value on these quilts and cannot imagine the deeper meaning of them rather than a family heirloom with an emotional attachment, which is the way that Maggie views them and would treat them in the …show more content…
And she admits to putting them to "everyday use." She is not one to use them to show off or place financial values on them. Maggie and her mother share a unique standpoint in that they both seem to be very happy and content with their way of life. They are not financially well off, but they are living life to the fullest and towards the end of the story, “Maggie smiled a real smile, not scared.” (Walker 1.,537) At this point Maggie comes to the realization that she deserves them, she has the right outlook on life and realizes the true value of these
The story begins with Mama and Maggie waiting for the arrival of Dee, who had moved away to attend a college in Augusta. She was the first, and only one from her family to receive that level of higher education. Dee’s decision to attend school caused a deeper separation gap between her family and her. When Dee arrived, and is stepping out of the car, their mom observes …show more content…
She was always concerned with the way that people perceived her. As she was looking around she spotted two handmade quilts that contained scraps of clothe that date back to the Civil War. Dee envisioned these quilts hanging on her walls for people to look at and see. To her surprise, Mama has already promised them to Maggie when she came of age. At this point, Dee becomes very upset and says, “Maggie would be backwards enough to put them to everyday use” (Walker p.1,536). Dee puts value on these quilts and cannot imagine the deeper meaning of them rather than a family heirloom with an emotional attachment, which is the way that Maggie views them and would treat them in the …show more content…
And she admits to putting them to "everyday use." She is not one to use them to show off or place financial values on them. Maggie and her mother share a unique standpoint in that they both seem to be very happy and content with their way of life. They are not financially well off, but they are living life to the fullest and towards the end of the story, “Maggie smiled a real smile, not scared.” (Walker 1.,537) At this point Maggie comes to the realization that she deserves them, she has the right outlook on life and realizes the true value of these