Everyday Use By Alice Walker Analysis

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Everyday Use is a story that is analyzed by most English professors because the story has so many subliminal messages and metaphors. The story is narrated by a woman who is described as large and manly hands. She used to live on a farm but now lives in a small house. She cannot wait until her daughter Maggie gets married so she can finally be at peace and alone. Maggie was intimidated by her eldest sister Dee who was considered glamorous. It was said that Dee was married but no one had proof because ever since Dee went off to college she has been so distant and secretive about her current life. Dee finally arrives at her family's house with a Arab man. The narrator prepared a meal, so everyone could sit down and it. While they are enjoying the meal Dee notices a butter churn that her uncle made and asks her mother if she can use …show more content…

I read the story Everyday Use back in high school and we had to analyze the story to realize the message that was being told. The story is basically about three women who have different perspectives about life. The mother is the least difficult because she is satisfied with the life she has. Dee, on the other hand, is not, she is the one who wants to be in control. She feels as though she is in complete control of her life and can do anything she wants. Maggie was unsatisfied and wanted more that is why she went away to college. Maggie and her mother believes that heritage has everything to do with the family’s tradition but Dee was ashamed. Walker gave me the reader a different view on African culture, I learned how important it was and I should know more as a person. Her use of imagery in her writing made it easier to read and understand what was going on. She made me think that even though we all could be living different lives, we are all the same in some type of way. I think that Dee was so caught up in a modern way of life that traditionalism became less important to

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    814 Words  | 2 Pages

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