Meaning Of Heritage In Everyday Use By Alice Walker

Heritage The story “Everyday Use”, written by Alice Walker, is a story of heritage and learning what kind of person you are. In Alice Walker’s stories, they focus on personal and African-American situations back in the early 50s’. In “Everyday Use”, the story is based on background information about Dee and Maggie’s life that’s being told by their mother. Dee and Maggie have chosen to live their lives in a different way. As a result, Dee and Maggie brought a different view of the meaning of heritage through their personalities, life decisions, and relationships with other family members.

Maggie is the younger sister of Dee who her mother gave her ancestors quits to. Dee is the older sister that feels Maggie doesn’t deserve the
quilt given to her. Many people show appreciation in things in different ways. Dee did not like the ways of her family and how they lived. Dee finally comes back, and shows she interested in her heritage. “She has returned to her black roots because now they are fashionable” (Christian, Barbara 44).

Before Dee came back home, Maggie and her mother thought Dee did not appreciate or agree on anything when it came to their family. Her mom plus help from the church has gotten her in school to get an education. Dee tries to belittle her family with her knowledge and appearance when she come back. She also shows disrespect to her family by changing her name to Wangero. Everyone knew Dee was all about material, her image and up to date things. Dee does not understand her life with traditions, that involves her family and ancestors. Reading the story, you can get an idea “there is the conflict of light skinned versus dark skinned” (studymode.com 03 2010), when her mother wished she could look like to her daughter.

Maggie, unlike Dee, knew how to sew, she appreciated personally and emotionally how much effort were put into the quilts. Maggie being the sweet person she is, told her sister she could have the quilts. Dee thinks Maggie will use the quilts for five years and they will turn into rags. Maggie is ashamed of her scars of being burned in their old home. She just doesn’t give the same outgoing personality that Dee has. Dee is ashamed of her family and heritage. “For Maggie appreciates the people who made them while Dee can only possess the “priceless” products” (Christian, Barbara 45). Heritage is something that comes along to a person by birth. Everyone has their own beliefs and ideas of what shapes their heritage. “Walker addresses herself to the problems of African Americans who risk deracination” (Cowart, David 33.2). These different points of views are very on point by the way Dee and Mrs, Johnson see the world. The signs of how they kept their front yard, and the different characters are all used to bring the theme together. The theme of it all is that heritage should be something to always be proud of. “Many of such traditions are sometimes lost because people in today’s generations don’t realize the essence of these valuable things that are handed down from generations to generations” (Wordpress.com 09 2009). In conclusion, our heritage moves through history past the people who took part in it. To really appreciate it, it must be in your heart. The quilts represent the African American Women history of weaving and sewing. Heritage gives a different view into people lives and the problems they face. The last decision, is the sister with the most heritage or cultural upbringing in life. The person who was involved in their heritage and culture, that made use of it everyday in their lives was Maggie. “The mother, seemingly in a fit of contrariness, snatches the beautiful quilts out of the hands of the “black” Wangero and gives them to the “backward” Maggie (Christian, Barbara 45). So, Dee drove away in anger because of her mother’s decision to give the quilts to Maggie.

Work Cited Christian, Barbara. “Modern Critical Views”. Alice Walker. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1989. Print. Cowart, David.
“Heritage and Deracination”. Alice Walker. “Studies of Short Fiction” avl.com. 1996..Web. “Everyday Use” Literary Criticism. wordpress.com.09 2009. .Web. Everyday Use” Summary by Alice Walker. Studymode.com. 03 2010. 03 2010 .Web.

Outline

Introducing Maggie and Dee A. Difference Between Maggie and Dee 1. Maggie and the return of Dee 2. Heritage wasn’t important to Dee 3. Dee disrespects her family 4. Maggies’ advantage of the quilts 5. What heritage mean B. Who makes up heritage II. Maggie and Dee A. Maggie and the return and Dee 1. Maggies’ been giving the quilts 2. Dee does not think Maggie deserve the quilts B. Dee loves her heritage for the wrong reasons III. Dee, Maggie and Mrs. Johnson A. Heritage wasn’t important to Dee 1. Dee changes her name to Wangero 2. She comes back to impress her family but failed B. Dee looked at loving her heritage in a worldly way IV. Maggie A. Maggies’ advantage of the
quilts 1. Maggie appreciated and actually know how to sew 2. Dee didn 't want Maggie to have them, she was afraid Maggie would overuse them B. Maggie appreciated and loved the family who made the quilts V. Heritage A. What heritage mean 1. Heritage forms through birth 2. Others beliefs of heritage B. Heritage is something to be proud of VI. Maggie’s quilts A. Maggie had the most upbringing in her life involving her heritage B. The difference between Maggie and Dee is based on how they’ve chosen to live