Everyday Use Analysis

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Cara Washington
Paul Zintgraff
English 1213. 103
September 28th, 2011

                                      Analysis of Everyday use
          The story of “Everyday Use”, by Alice Walker is being told by an African American mother living in the deep south with one of her two daughters.” The mother is telling a story of her daughters, Dee, who visits from college and argues with the other, Maggie, over the possessions of some heirloom quilts”. “Everyday Use”, by Alice Walker is also a story of a mother and her two daughters’ conflicting ideas about the identities and ancestry, what is beautiful, attractive and unattractive, as well as rural, sophisticated, educated and uneducated.
          Dee’s mama (narrator) admits to her readers that she’s a solid “Big Boned” woman who was built for work. Dee finds her mom’s style of doing things unattractive since it does not suit her ideal of what a modern black woman should look like. Mama realizes that she will never be that 100 pounds lighter, white complected and a well-educated woman Dee wants her to be. Mama she takes pride in the work she does, The work which bothers Dee dearly. There is no right or wrong way for a person
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to be. Maggie (Younger sister) is always shy and nervous around or upon Dee’s arrivals. Maggie stays nervous from the time Dee arrives, to the time Dee leaves. Maggie has very low self-esteem because of her burn scars. When Dee arrives, Maggie trys to look her best by putting on her best clothes. Dee is viewing the way she walks, she compares her to a lame animal. As mama says, “She looks like a dog run over by some careless person rich enough to own a car”. Maggie has a way of keeping her family tradition alive. Dee (Older Sister) sees herself as belonging to a higher intellectual and social class than Mama and Maggie, and they should feel honored by her...