"The Theme of Everyday Use"
             Alice Walker's short story Everyday Use is about family and whether or not something materialistic can overpower love. Everyday Use is about the mother's decision of whom to give the quilt to. When Dee, the older daughter, comes back in town to claim a few things, she decides to claim the quilt, too. This story shows the struggle between mother and daughter, and sister versus sister for the family quilt. To develop the theme that family is more important than materialistic things, Alice Walker uses symbolism, point of view, and conflict.
             Symbolism in Everyday Use is the quilt. The quilt symbolizes a family treasure because Maggie and her grandmother made the quilt together. When Dee comes back home to visit, she tries to persuade her mom to let her take the quilt. Dee wants it for selfish reasons because she just wants to show off that she is better than this now, the Black Country way of life that is. "The oldest daughter Dee, comes back home with her Muslim man and demands the quilt because she understands the black 'heritage'" (Callahan 402). Maggie wants the quilts because she and her Grandmother made them together, and she wants to use them in her bedroom when she gets married. "Maggie, the other daughter, has stayed south: she's been promised her grandma's quilt for her wedding" (Callahan 402). The quilt symbolizes love and heritage to Maggie. It also symbolizes family and friendship. Symbolism plays a major role in this short story.
             The point of view comes from the mother's perspective of the whole situation. "Told from the mother's point of view, this tale of an urbanized daughter's return to the family and folkways she has left behind is an ironic, touching and humorous fictional encounter" (Watkins 402). The mother feels like Maggie should be the one to have the quilt because she promised ...