We are fortunate to live in a society in which sky is the limit. We are not born in to a caste system, and our past does not dictate our future. Alice Walkers’, “Everyday Use” and, Tillie Olsen’s, “I Stand Here Ironing”, demonstrate how two separate families reject change, and the economic advancement and aspirations of those close to them. Mama is one the main characters in, “Everyday Use”, and is also the narrator. One of the advantages to Mama telling us the story is we get to hear and feel her exact emotions. As the story begins we are given an image of what she calls home. “It is not just a yard. It is like an extended living room. When the hard clay is swept clean as a floor and the fine sand around the edges lined with tiny, irregular groves, anyone can come and sit and look up into the elm tree and wait for the breezes that never come in the house.” (Walker 310) There is a level of pride initially but the breeze that never comes clearly demonstrates a level of dissatisfaction, and self-pity. The question I would pose is: If you are not happy, do something about it? Even as Mama tells us about a television program that brings successful children to be confronted by their parents (311), you can sense the sarcasm in celebrating another’s success, “A pleasant surprise, of course: What would they do if parents and children came on the show only to curse out and insult each other?”(311). Success of another family, results in Mama even commenting in a way which leads to the belief that she does not want them to be happy. It is clear that she would rather see the family arguing because in her opinion, it would not be possible for her to ever reach a higher status, and the thought of it could only be explained with mo... ... middle of paper ... ... my family and my parents have become quite successful with a little hard work. I will strive for my children to move to an upper class bracket and I myself from middle to high one day. I understand that anything is possible, but you must first embrace where you came from, and understand that it will never stop you from going where you want. Works Cited Olsen, Tillie. “I Stand Here Ironing.” Literature, Reading, Reacting, Writing. Compact 5th Eds. Kirszner, Laurie G., and Stephen R. Mandell, Boston: Heinle, 2004. 187-193. Print Walker, Alice. “ Everyday Use.” Literature, Reading, Reacting, Writing. Compact 5th Eds. Kirszner, Laurie G., and Stephen R. Mandell, Boston: Heinle, 2004. 310-316. Print Cowart, David. ”Heritage and deracination in Walker’s `Everyday Use.’.” Studies in Short Fiction 33.2 (1996): 171. Academic Search Elite. EBSCO. Web. 27 Feb. 2011.
Susan Farrell in her, “Fight vs. Flight: A Re-evaluation of Dee in Alice Walker’s ‘Everyday Use’” writes in response to Alice Walker’s short story Everyday Use. Farrell’s article is published by Newbury College in spring of 1998 in Studies in Short Fiction (179). Farrell in her article writes to argue that although Dee is inconsiderate and egotistical—supporting what she is arguing against— to a certain degree, she offers a way for a modern African American to manage with the harsh society that is, in a few ways more substantial than that described by Mother and Maggie— which is her thesis (179). Most people who have read Walker’s short story Everyday Use are prone to agree that the character Dee is ‘shallow,’ ‘condescending,’ and ‘manipulative,’;
Heritage is one of the most important factors that represents where a person came from. In “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, this short story characterizes not only the symbolism of heritage, but also separates the difference between what heritage really means and what it may be portrayed as. Throughout the story, it reveals an African-American family living in small home and struggling financially. Dee is a well-educated woman who struggles to understand her family's heritage because she is embarrassed of her mother and sister, Mama and Maggie. Unlike Dee, Mama and Maggie do not have an education, but they understand and appreciate their family's background. In “Everyday Use,” the quilts, handicrafts, and Dee’s transformation helps the reader interpret that Walker exposed symbolism of heritage in two distinctive point of views.
Updike, John. “A&P”. The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. Eds. R.V. Cassill and Richard Bausch. Shorter Sixth Edition. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2000. 864 - 869.
Updike, John. “A&P.” Literature Craft and Voice. Ed. Nicholas Delbanco and Alan Cheuse. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw, 2013. 141-145. Print.
...ccomplish this if they all understand what is important in life. All of Mama’s dreams are eventually recognized, although they certainly appear hazy throughout the play. The question about whether or not they should keep the house forms inside Mama’s head near the end of the play, but she quickly changes her mind. Mama never lost sight of her goals, no matter how hard nature attacked them.
I firmly believe that success is attributed to the amount of of work dedicated. My parents have demonstrated to me that through hard work, dedication, and of tenacity everything is possible. Both of them have come from a place where opportunities are not available and the same cycle continues from generation to generation. Hearing the stories of them waking up at sun rise to go feed the farm animals in the poor rural town of La Presa, Michucan, Mexico has made me understand the struggles that they have overcome to be where they are today. Migrating to the United Sates of American in the 80's was a definite challenge that ended up sprouting new opportunities for their child. I have been instilled that same believe system and am happy to be a
“Everyday Use” is a story based in the era of racial separation between communities of diverse ethnicity. “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker merely scratches the surface of racial heritage and the elimination of previous ways of living. This discontinuation of poverty driven physical labor shines through Dee as she grows to know more of her heritage throughout her years in school. An example of this is when Dee changes her name; this is an indication of Dee/Wangero wanting to change her lifestyle after the harsh truth she is hit with while going to school. Dee learns about the struggles of African Americans during this time, which changes her view on the unforgiving reality of her family’s lifestyle. In “Everyday Use”, the author opens the mind
David Cowart essay Heritage and Deracination in Walker 's “Everyday Use” he says, “Only by
In ?Everyday Use?, Alice Walker chooses to develop the idea of poverty by focusing exclusively on the environment in which her protagonists live. Setting attributes, such as the ones used to describe the house in which the protagonists reside, enables us to better understand the theme. In fact, the dwelling does not even have any real windows. Instead, it has holes cut in the sides, like the portholes of a ship, but not round and not square, with rawhide holding the shutters up on the outside. Then, Walker proceeds with inside description of the house as she points out that the protagonists use benches for their table instead of chairs because they cannot financially afford any. Further, the author supports the theme by providing us with some physical description of specific objects. The use of quilts that ?Grandma Dee? sewed from the scraps of her dress and the churn that Uncle Henry whittled from the wood is not derived from the protagonists? intention to preserve ?family values? but rather from a necessity to ?survive?.
In a modern society where good deeds and integrity are taken for granted, it is necessary for people to stand up for what is right. The short story “A & P”, written by John Updike, tells the story of Sammy and how he takes a stand for what he believes is right, only he is not given the gratitude he deserved. “Everyday Use”, written by Alice Walker, is another short story that shows how substantial it is to stand firm for one’s convictions and beliefs, especially in familial matters. Mama, the protagonist in “Everyday Use”, must make the decision of protecting her self-conscious daughter Maggie, or giving in to Dee, her other egocentric daughter who has forgotten the traditional values of their family. These two short stories indicate the importance of protecting people from the harshness of reality because not everyone is secure or aware enough to be able to stand up for themselves.
Abcarian, Richard. Literature: the Human Experience : Reading and Writing. : Bedford/Saint Martin's, 2012. Print.
In “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, we hear a story from the viewpoint of Mama, an African American woman, about a visit from her daughter Dee. Mama, along with her other daughter Maggie, still lives poor in the Deep South while Dee has moved onto a more successful life. Mama and Maggie embrace their roots and heritage, while Dee wants to get as far away as possible. During her return, Dee draws her attention to the quilt. It is this quilt and the title of the piece that centers on the concept of what it means to integrate one’s culture into their everyday life.
Foleylan. “Conflict, Irony, and Symbolism in Alice Walker’s ‘Everyday Use’.” Studymode. N.p., Jun 2012. Web. 17 Mar 2014.
Farrell, Susan. "Fight vs. Flight: A Re-evaluation of Dee in Alice Walker's "Everyday Use"" Studies in Short Fiction. ProQuest, Spring 1998. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
Walker, Alice. "Everyday Use." Literature‑ An Introduction to Reading and Writing 5th ed. Eds. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 1998. 86‑92.