Generation Gap And Heritage In Everyday Use By Alice Walker

At the beginning of the book, it stated on page 25 that "Mama had been brought up to be obedient to her husband. It was her duty to obey him, no matter what. That was the way it was in Japan, and that was the way it was in America." From that quote, we learn that Mama is portrayed as a submissive and obedient wife who is resigned to her fate as a Japanese American in a hostile country.

This story tells about the quilt making that the family does and its importance. Baba, the main quilt-maker, basically sees this simple action as a way for a person to grow all-around. It is even said that through her quilts she was “creating beauty, she found a way to speak, a way that moved, beyond words.” A simple thing like a quilt is found to be of importance to the narrator, Watkins. Watkins is able to understand what Baba is trying to say through her quilts, which expresses the struggles of a female African-American.

For many, people hold objects within their lives as sentiments of greater value than price. Whether it be pictures, necklaces, or a father’s watch; there lies an emotional connection beyond the object’s materialistic presence in which people hold dear. Themes of reminiscence as well reverence are displayed throughout the poem by the use of imagery to further convey the character’s hope that the quilt will represent her family’s heritage just as her grandmothers did, alongside an ethos application of symbolism that further portrays as well connects the emotional links of generations, diversity, and values. The first theme of reminiscence is displayed by tone as well diction in which the author portrays that the quilt allows the woman to create a feeling of connection to her family 's past as well her own. The quilt allowed the woman to feel as though she could potentially “have good dreams for a hundred years,” as mentioned throughout lines twenty and twenty-one just as her Meema.

The intriguing texts, “My Mother Pieced Quilts” by Teresa Palomo Acosta, and “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker contain two main ideas that explain how everyone’s culture has a direct influence on the way that we view the world. In other words, each of our backgrounds are full of experiences and knowledge, and we use what we know in every aspect in life. Specifically, Acosta expressed in her poem, “... how the thread darted in and out / galloping along the frayed edges, tucking them in / as you did us at night.” This passage is suggesting when the author remembers her mother mother making quilts, she remembers the memories that she associated with the quilts, making the quilts have a special meaning to her and her culture growing up. Additionally, Walker had a similar idea in her narrative about quilts but she includes another example where she writes,”...

Everyday Use and Sula are coming of age stories. They both illustrate times in people’s lives when they have to decide to how they are going to live with their past and themselves. The short story "Everyday Use", Alice Walker emphasizes the aspect of individuality. The story focuses on the lives of two sisters, Maggie and Dee.

As well as being a mother, mama is focused on her children by giving up everything. The last stereotype is presented as being protective of family. Mama can relate to this as she takes care of her family just like she takes care of her plant while also protecting

Everyday Use Literary Analysis “Maggie will be nervous until her sister goes. ”(Pg.50 line7) This is quote from the story Everyday Use by Alice Walker. The story revolves around a girl called Dee, her mom and sister Maggie. They have different opinions on different subjects especially relating to heritage.

Characterization in “Everyday use” In “Everyday Use” Alice Walker creates the characters of Mom, Maggie, and Dee in order to explore the appreciation and values of African American culture and what it stands for. The story grows around one daughter Dee coming back home to visit her family. As one is introduced to the characters in “Everyday Use”, it becomes noticeable that the two sisters, Maggie and Dee, are very different. Maggie is portrayed as a homely and ignorant girl, while Dee is portrayed as a beautiful and educated woman.

The quilts are the main symbol for the reason that each character has different views on them and their meaning, just like the readers. Near the end, the mother needs to choose whom to give the quilts to, to keep. Both of them have quilts with opposite views on what their use will be. Dee only wants to just hang them up, while Maggie wants to appreciate their appearance. I conclude that Alice Walker wanted Maggie to have the quilts because she thinks would actually mean something.

But yet they both sometimes don’t respect their mother. Mama is a gentle women, she always has to be honest with her children. Mama is not an educated women her school closed at the second grade. ” I never had an education myself” (Walker, 316, 13).

Everyday Use is written in first person point of view. The narrator is Mama, so everything that is written from her point of view. This perspective allows the readers to see some of Mama’s inner thoughts and personal commentary about that is happening. An example of this is, “I didn’t want to bring up how I had offered Dee (Wangero) a quilt when she went away to college. Then she has told me they were old-fashioned, out of style,” (490).

In the short story titled “Everyday Use” written by Alice Walker, the author revolves the story theme on the meaning of heritage. One of the main characters’ characterization changes throughout the plot. The way Maggie behaves is different at the exposition, climax, and resolution of the story. In “Everyday Use”, Maggie is a young woman whose interactions changes along with the lot. She demonstrates in different ways how she’s starting to accept more herself and those surrounding her.

In “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, the meaning of heritage is admired differently by a family of the same background. Dee who now has an education and understands her heritage feud with Mama and Maggie who appreciate their heritage. Although they all come from the same household, their differences get in the way when it comes to the most valuable items in the house; including the churn and dasher that Mama and Maggie still use daily, the handmade quilts made by Grandma Dee, and how Dee is blinded by the truth of her own heritage. Dee wants the churn and dasher for decoration purposes only stating “I can use the churn top as a centerpiece for the alcove table,” (Walker 272.)

The prettiest daughter had a life outside of where her mother was located. The less attractive daughter stayed with her mother and that was probably the best choice for her. “Everyday Use” allows readers to see the conflicts on how culture can be twisted and viewed differently by generations through the theme, characters and symbols. To begin with, there are three generations of culture that is

She was an independent thinker and had no desire to play into the traditional roles of women of wives and mothers, therefore representing feminism and individuality. The role of Mama (Lena) Younger reinforces the significance of the motherly influence in the black family dynamics (Tackach,