“Everyday Use” is a short story written by Alice Walker, which depicts a family gathering where one of the two daughters comes home to visit her mother and sister. Dee studies at a University and her perspective on the African-American heritage differs from that of her relatives. Moreover, for her stay, she demonstrates that her understanding of their culture is far more superior to theirs. Walker’s short story “Everyday Use” is a vivid demonstration of how African-Americans’ view of their history has changed and the conflict that arises from these distinctions.
The three main characters in “Everyday Use” live a distinctly different life, which shapes their view on culture and heritage. Mama is the mother of Dee and Maggie, and she is a woman who works hard for her children and herself. She is “a large, big-boned woman with rough, man working hands (Walker, 1). The narrative is depicted from her perspective, and the reader understands her feelings and thoughts about the events that are happening. As Mama describes herself, she is not afraid of hard work, can break the ice, and works outside all day if necessary.
As she reveals more about her life story, it becomes evident that, unlike Dee, Mama had fewer opportunities to get an education and even pursue a career. Instead, she had to work to make a living. Mama recalls that she only went to grade school because it was later closed, and no one asked questions at the time she was young (Walker, 1). Therefore, Mama, although being an African-American woman and living in the times when oppression based on race was more common, sees the African-American heritage based on her life experiences, such as hardships, lack of school education, and the need to work hard to provide for the family.
Dee has a different story, and she is more knowledgeable because her community sends her to college, and she perceives the African-American culture and history from a more well-educated point of view. One example is her changing the name Dee to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo to represent her heritage and her connection to the African-Americans (Walker, 3). Unlike Mama, Dee does not have to work with her hands, and thus her perspective on the lives of the African-American people is different.
She learns about previous generations from books and, in that way, can judge history differently. However, over the course of the story, it appears that she lacks empathy for her family and, in a way, despises them because they are not as well-educated as her. Thus, Dee views her African-American heritage mainly based on what she learned in school and at a University.
The knowledge of symbols, such as quilts for the history of African-Americans, is a good thing. However, it is meaningless when one fails to see the ongoing development of this culture and the people who create it. Maggie, similarly to Mama, has little education, however, for her, the heritage is connected to her family and the people she loves. In the final scene of this short story, where Dee departs and is still upset about the quilts. She tells her sister that she should strive to be more educated, especially on the topics concerning her culture. The different perspectives on the lives of African-Americans are reflected in the following quote:
“Your heritage,” she said, and then she turned to Maggie, kissed her, and said, “You ought to try to make something of yourself, too, Maggie” However, Maggie, unlike Dee did know how to quilt since “It was Grandma Dee and Big Dee who taught her how to quilt herself” (Walker, 4).
However, as Mama mentions, Maggie knows how to quilt, unlike Dee, which is one of the representations of this culture. Thus, Dee views this ability as something utilitarian, although she perceives the quilts as something worthy, more of an artwork than a thing that can be used on an everyday basis. In a way, she lacks the understanding of why and how the quilts were created, and she only sees what they represent as part of the African-American heritage. For Maggie and Mama, the quilts are connected to the memory of their relatives, Maggie’s aunt, and grandmother, and have sentimental value.
“Everyday Use” is not a fiction story, and it represents the differences that existed in the African-American community. A good example is Martin Luther King and Malcolm X because both were fighting for civil rights. King states the following about Malcolm X – “he is very articulate, but I totally disagree with many of his political and philosophical views” (qtd. in Brown). Although the two men had a similar goal, they chose different strategies for achieving them, similar to the differences between Dee and her family.
Overall, “Everyday Use” is a short story about family reunions and misunderstandings connected to the African-American culture. The three characters of this story – Mama, Dee, and Maggie all have a different life, which affects the way they think about their culture and community. Dee is well-educated, however, lacks an understanding or a skill to make quits that she values very much. Because of this, she has no understanding of her heritage, only artificial symbols such as her new name. Mama is a hard-working woman who loves her children. However, her lack of education affects what she knows about the history of African-Americans. Maggie is similar to Mama, as she did not get a proper education. However, she knows how to quilt, valuing these items as part of her family history.
Works Cited
Brown, DeNeen. “Martin Luther King Jr. Met Malcolm X Just Once. The Photo Still Haunts Us with What Was Lost.” Washington Post. 2018.
Walker, Alice. Everyday Use. Rutgers University Press, 1994.