Heritage And Heritage

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Definable Roots In “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker delivers a powerful fictional story of a mother’s squabbling relationship with her two daughters. Walker connotes the importance of appreciating ones own heritage. The concept of heritage, as it applies within the story, adheres to African Americans who were striving for personal freedom and equality in a cultural sense. If one were to glance at the leaves of a tree and not dig deep into its roots then there is no trace of knowledge of their past, origin, and heritage. On its surface, the mother gains a better insight on both her daughters after she realizes that her daughter Dee does not acknowledge her mother’s contribution. Dee is the eldest daughter and is trying to get in touch with her roots. Nevertheless, Dee is rueful of her past and family that quite frankly she overlooks her family’s importance in her conquest for modifying her ‘language of heritage.’ On account of Dee’s ignorance and mollycoddlings, the mother gradually values more in far of Maggie who is influent in the language of heritage. Throughout the story, Dee take...

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    Author Alice Walker, displays the importance of personal identity and the significance of one’s heritage. These subjects are being addressed through the characterization of each character. In the story “Everyday Use”, the mother shows how their daughters are in completely two different worlds. One of her daughter, Maggie, is shy and jealous of her sister Dee and thought her sister had it easy with her life. She is the type that would stay around with her mother and be excluded from the outside world. Dee on the other hand, grew to be more outgoing and exposed to the real, modern world. The story shows how the two girls from different views of life co-exist and have a relationship with each other in the family. Maggie had always felt that Mama, her mother, showed more love and care to Dee over her. It is until the end of the story where we find out Mama cares more about Maggie through the quilt her mother gave to her. Showing that even though Dee is successful and have a more modern life, Maggie herself is just as successful in her own way through her love for her traditions and old w...

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