alice walker

Knowing the meaning of heritage in Everyday Use

The story “Everyday Use”, is being told by a mother who describes herself as a big boned woman, with a second grade education. She had always had to do the work of a man to provide for her family. A mother of two girls with different views on the family culture. Dee, a light skinned girl with nice hair and a full figure. Dee has always scorned the way the family lived. She comes home to visit and wants to take back some of the family heritage, such as Grandma Dee’s quilts. Maggie, a dark skinned, slim and shy girl, who has never been away from home. Maggie has a different love for the family heritage she will continue to carry it on, like quilting. While Dee and Maggie lived in the same house growing up, they have different believes about their heritage.

Two women sat in the yard awaiting a visit from the older daughter, D

. . .
Maggie in disbelief that Dee asked for the quilts slammed the kitchen door. Dee, after getting the churn top, she then ask for the dasher. “The two sister’s values concerning the quilt represent the two meaning approaches to art appreciation in our society. After she goes through the trunk, she returns with two quilts. “The quilts become symbolic of the story’s theme; in a sense, they represent the past of the women in the family”(Master Plots 733). Art can be valued for financial and aesthetic reasons, or it can be valued for personal and emotional reasons”(Jokinen)

. Dee, was very hard on the family’s way of life, has gone to college and now seems to be a distant memory. Maggie, who is not bright and bears scars from a server house fire many years ago still, remains intimidated by her glamorous sibling. Now her attention turns to a trunk at the foot of her mother’s bed. Then she tells Dee that she had promised the quilts to Maggie a wedding present. Her mother imagines of being reunited with her daughter on television. Dee would come out in tears embracing her mother and pinning and orchid on her dress. Dee tells her mother that Maggie would not appreciate the quilts and that she would use them in “everyday use”. ee, and a man who may are may not be husband.

Her mother was astonished; Dee arrive wearing an ankle-length, gold and orange dress, bracelets and gold earrings hanging down to her shoulders.

Common topics in this essay:
Dee Maggie, Uncle Buddy, Leewanika Kemanjo, Professor Hubbell, Grandma Dees, Everyday Knowing, Heritage English, quilts maggie, knowing meaning heritage, dee quilts, churn top, meaning heritage, knowing meaning, family heritage,

Approximate Word count = 719
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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