Everyday Use

“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker is a short story about an African American family. The family faces several problems that are all put into play when Dee arrives to visit Mama and Maggie. Dee has lived an entirely different life than Maggie and Mama. Dee is a blessed young woman because she had the opportunity to go to school and become an educated member of society. However, an education has caused Dee to forget about family and her very own heritage. Dee thinks that by wearing traditional African clothing, changing her name to an African name, and greeting the family with some expression in an African language that she is keeping her “heritage” alive. However, Dee is sadly mistaken. The story goes on to prove this by showing Dee’s lack of regard for the quilts and other family items that have been passed down from member to member of her family. Maggie and Mama are entirely different from Dee. They have not been well educated and are used to a simplistic yet financially hard lifestyle. Neither of them cares a lot about what is going on in the world around them. Maggie and Mama both UNDERSTAND their heritage. They remember how to make quilts and how to use the items that Dee wanted to take with her. Mama and Maggie both seem to be humble. Dee, on the other hand, seems arrogant in the way that she boasts her education around the place. She talks to Mama and Maggie in a condescending tone as if they are not smart enough to understand what Dee is talking to them about. Walker seems to want to show the reader two major things. The first thing is that heritage does not have to be about an entire country but rather about family traditions in themselves. The second thing is that education is a helpful and unhelpful thing for people. It’s helpful because it gives them an open mind to things but it also takes away from the simple things of life.