Symbolism the use of symbols to ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that
are different meaning. For example, there are different varieties of flowers like the roses stand
for romance, violets represent shyness, lilies for beauty and temptation, and chrysanthemums
represent perfection. Symbols are also used in colors to symbolize on what they represent. For
instance, black is used to represent death or evil, white stands for life and purity, red can
symbolize passion, purple is a royal color, yellow stands for violence or decay, and blue
represents peacefulness and calm. Objects can rarely be used as symbols as well. A chain
can symbolize the coming together of two things. A mirror can denote the sun but when it is
broken, it can represent an unhappy union or a separation.
In the novel, Everyday Used, Dee came to visit her family Mama Johnson and Maggie. Dee
came with a male friend name Hakim – A – Barber. Dee took the butter churn and the dasher to
be displayed for art, but then also wanted the quilt that was made by grandma Dee. Mama
Johnson refused to give the quilt to Dee, because Dee doesn’t understand her heritage.
Instead, Mama Johnson gave it to Maggie; Mama Johnson had seen her sister and mother in
Maggie. Maggie understood the value of the butter churn, the dasher, and the quilt her heritage
was important to Mama Johnson that was passed down from generation to generation. Dee
change over time when she was away at college. Dee’s heritage wasn’t the same as it was
before, Dee has seen a new era. Hakim – A – Barber a friend of Dee has also change the way
of his heritage. Hakim – A – Barber became a Jew, which means he cannot eat anything made
of meat...
... middle of paper ...
...used to give it to Dee, and Dee left with Hakim – A –
Barber. Heritage is a necessity to family to what is valuable to their family to remember them by.
Works Cited
Bemad.Nick. “Symbolism in Walker’s Everyday Use:
Enotes.N.P. , 4 July 2007. Web 17 Mar 2014
Eshbaugh Ruth. “A literary Analysis of Alice Walker’s short Story ‘Everyday Use : “YAHOOVOICES.Yahoo. Inc.,
21 Aug 2008.Web.17 Mar 2014.
White David. “Everyday Use’ : Defining African American Heritage.”
Luminarium. Aniina Jokinen, 19 Sep 2002. Web, 17 Mar 2014
WriteworkEditor. “Symbolism in Everyday Use’ by Alice
Walker.” Writework.Np. , May 2006.Web. 17 Mar 2014.
Sparknotes editors. “Themes, Motifs and symbols.”
Sparknotes LLC, Nod. , Web. 17 Mar 2014.
Velazquez. JuanR. “Characterization and Symbolism in Alice
Walker’s ‘Everyday Use’. “Lonestar. N.p. , n.a Web. 17 Mar 2014
Dee, also known as Wangero, is very self-centered in the story “Everyday Use,” by Alice Walker. Before being able to warm up to Dee, her arrogant, inconsiderate, and selfish ways were repeatedly introduced throughout the story. Dee was an archaeologist, and if it did not benefit her job, nothing or anyone matters.
through she is there with her mom everyday(Cowart 171-72). When Wangero comes back with her boyfriend, she acts like she 's better than them because she found her heritage and she lost what is important to them the mother-daughter relationship. In another source it say “Dee obviously holds a central place in Mama’s world,” so her central place is the reason why all the stuff that she wants she gets especially things that hold heritage value(Susan Farrell 180). The mother-daughter bond that she shares with Wangero is much more special and that bond with her mom should mean more to her then the quilts or anything else with any type of history
... in “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker have multiple ideas of symbolism to describe each one of them in what they symbolize.
...have been handed down from generation to generation, and that in itself is admirable. But since the narrator wants more for the quilts, I agree with her decision. I am sure the quilts would look nice hung on a wall, but I think that they would be enjoyed more on a bed or couch, as Maggie would use them. It is also what her grandma and other older generations would have wanted. These quilts were made to be used. And as they become tattered, she can repair them and even add to them. I think Maggie would get the most enjoyment of them.
The main objects of topic throughout the story are the quilts that symbolize the African American Woman’s history. Susan Farrell, a critic of many short stories, describes the everyday lives of African American Women by saying “weaving and sewing has often been mandatory labor, women have historically endowed their work with special meanings and significance” and have now embraced this as a part of their culture. The two quilts that Dee wanted “had been pieced together by Grandma Dee and then Big Dee and me [Mother] had hung them on the quilt frames on the front porch and quilted them” (par. 55) showing that these quilts were more valuable as memories than they were just blankets. The fabrics in the quilts “were scraps of dresses Grandma Dee had worn fifty and more years ago. Bits and pieces of Grandpa Jarrell’s paisley shirts. And one teeny faded blue piece, about the piece of a penny matchbox, that was from Great Grandpa Ezra’s uniform that he wore in the Civil War” (par. 55) putting forth more evidence that these are not just scraps, but have become pieces of family history. The q...
The daughter Dee, who is coming to visit, has left this rural landscape through her education. Dee has even taken on an African name for herself: Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo. Dee "couldn't bear it any longer being named after the people who oppress me." (Walker 386)
“Everyday Use” shows readers that heritage and culture is not speaking in a foreign language, wearing different clothes, or the changing of one’s name. One’s heritage and culture is taught and learned through generations, not just picked up. Walker illustrates that a person who truly has heritage and culture makes use of it every day of their life.
In the short story “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, the author portrays opposing ideas about one’s heritage. Through the eyes of two daughters, Dee and Maggie, who have chosen to live their lives in very different manners, the reader can choose which character to identify most with by judging what is really important in one’s life. In Dee’s case, she goes out to make all that can of herself while leaving her past behind, in comparison to Maggie, who stays back with her roots and makes the most out of the surroundings that she has been placed in. Through the use of symbolism, the tangible object of a family heirloom quilt brings out these issues relating to heritage to Mama, and she is able to reasonably decide which of her daughters has a real appreciation for the quilt, and can pass it on to her. Dee and Maggie shed a new light on the actual meaning of heritage through their personality traits, lifestyle decisions, and relationships with specific family members.
The condescending attitude and request from Dee leads Maggie to feel ashamed of her life for a moment and she nearly gives the heirlooms away. “She can have them, Mama,” were the words of...
Symbol: A Symbol is defined as something that represents something else. An example of this can be seen in things that represent us as people. For instance, names is a good example and represents who you are. Also, it should be noted that symbols are arbitrary, since symbols have no necessary connection to what they represent.
Dee, the older sister, wants to hang the quilts on a wall and view her culture from a distance. In fact she even seems ashamed of her family situation. In a letter to her mother Dee says, " . . . no matter where [they] choose to live, she will manage to come and see [them], but she will never bring her friends" (87). She even goes as far as to denounce her name because she claims, " I couldn't bear it any longer being named after the people that oppress me" (89). However, her mother states that she was named after her aunt and grandmother, the very people who made her beloved quilts. She makes it apparent that her idea of appreciating her culture is to leave it alone, especially when she says, " Maggie can't appreciate these quilts! She'd probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use"(91).
For example, when she arrives, the very first thing Dee announces is that she has taken a new name to remove herself from “the people who oppress her” (Walker). In fact, she was named after her aunt, but Mama humors her instead of making an issue of it (Walker). There are several instances in this story where Dee insults her culture and heritage due to her recent acculturation (Walker). She wants to acquire everyday things from the family home to display as art (Walker). Her sister is offended, but Mama, keeps a tight rein on the situation, as any good leader would (Walker). Mama can see that Dee has evolved and adapted from her experiences and allows her that freedom (Walker). But, not everyone can be seduced by the influences of others and so cultures and traditions are retained. When Dee’s visit ends, life goes back to the way in which Mama and the younger sister, Maggie, are accustom (Walker). Mama keeps a balance in this story. She is conducive in assuring her daughters feel comfortable to stay with what they know or fly off into the
Dee is shallow and manipulative. Not only does her education separate her from her family identity and heritage, it prevents her from bonding with her mother and sister. If Dee could only push her arrogance aside, she would be able to develop a deep connection with her family. While connecting with her family, Dee would also develop a deeper understanding of her heritage. Maggie and Mama did not give in to the “whim of an outside world that doesn’t really have much to do with them” (Farrell par.1). In the attempt to “fit” in, Dee has become self-centered, and demanding with her very own family; to the extent of intimidation, and
So much so, that she had gone home from college to try to get some old family belongings to put on “display” to try to keep the history alive. Unlike Maggie, Dee didn’t care much of the future, she just cared about the past and taking all sentimental family heirlooms. Dee being so caught up in the past, even changes her name to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo. When Dee first mentions the name change Mama is caught off guard. Mama was confused by this statement and asked, "What happened to ‘Dee’ "(Walker 5). Dee was trying to be polite but she came off extremely blunt by saying "She's dead, I couldn't bear it any longer, being named after the people who oppress me" (Walker 5). Dee’s Name had been passed down from generation to generation, if that doesn’t scream family heritage I don’t know what would. Maggie wasn’t the smartest but she sure knew what she had to do to keep the family tradition going. Maggie was in love and had her whole life ahead of her. Therefore, thinking about the future, she knew having kids one day, would keep the tradition alive. After Mama figured out which child really did value the family heritage, everything started to change for the
The quilts were pieced together by Mama, Grandma Dee, and Big Dee symbolizing a long line of relatives. The quilts made from scraps of dresses worn by Grandma Dee, Grandpa Jarrell’s Paisley shirts, and Great Grandpa Ezra’s Civil War uniform represented the family heritage and values, and had been promised to Mama to Maggie when she married. However, Dee does not understand the love put into the making of the quilts, neither does she understand the significance of the quilts as part of her family heritage. It is evident she does not understand the significance of the quilt, having been offered one when went away to college declaring them “as old-fashioned” and “out of style”. She does not care about the value of the quilts to her family, rather she sees it as a work of art, valuable as an African heritage but not as a family heirloom. She wants the quilts because they are handmade, not stitched with around the borders. She tells Mama, “Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts!... She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use… But, they’re priceless!.. Maggie would put them on her the bed and in five years they’d be in rags. Less than that!” (317). The quilt signifies the family pride and history, which is important to Mama. She makes the decision to give the quilt to Maggie who will appreciate it more than Dee, to whom she says, “God knows I been saving ‘em for long enough with