Keeping Tradition Alive in Everyday Use Essay

Everyday Use by Alice Walker- Essay#6

In the short story Everyday Use by Alice walker, the author writes about a mother and her relationship with her two daughters. Mama a strong woman, both physically and emotionally is confronted with the differences between her daughters. Dee the older daughter is superficial and vain, while Maggie is simple and meek. Both girls have opposing views on the value and worth of different items in their lives. The author uses this conflict to make the point that substance and a persons heritage is more important than style.

To begin with, the mother raised her daughters differently. Dee was made to feel that she was better, so in turn she saw herself as better. She had nicer hair and a full figure. She did not care for anyone or anything around her. She used to read to us without pity; forcing words, lies, other folks habits, whole lives upon us two. Mama was disappointed with the extent that she took her superiority to. Maggie on the other hand was less fortunate. She never received an education; she was satisfied with her lot in life. She was not attractive like her older sister, Maggie was burned badly, and she had burn scars down her arms and legs. Maggie never complained, she busied herself with helping her mother and actively living her traditions. When Dee came to visit and asked for the quilts, Mama was faced with the challenge to choose between her two daughters, and see them for who they really are.

The story takes place in the south, at a time when the Civil Rights movement was going strong. Mama, an African American farm woman, is used to the status quo. Dee the older daughter wants more, she sees herself as an intellectual and better than everyone around her. She goes off to college to make something of herself. She hates everything about the way they live, she finds it old-fashioned. Dee comes home for a visit; she brings a man with a fancy name, had a name twice as long and three times as hard. Her mother and sister have not seen her in a long time, they do not even know if she is married. She embraces the African tradition by changing her name to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo. She says I couldnt bear it any longer being named after the people who oppress me. Dee wants to hang the quilts that were promised to Maggie as a way to show off her artistic talents and her heritage. She also wants the butter churn as a centerpiece for her table. She does not even care that they use the churn in their everyday lives. Maggie is afraid of Dee and says that she can have the quilts even though they are rightfully hers. She does not require the quilts to remember her familys legacy; she lives with their values everyday.

Furthermore, the family artifacts are important to both daughters, but for different reasons. Maggie and her mother feel that the quilts are valuable for their sentiments and usefulness. Maggie learned how to quilt from her grandmother and aunt who made the quilts. She feels they are meant to be used and appreciated everyday. She hints that she sees the quilts as a reminder of her grandmother and aunt when she says I can member them without the quilts. Dee on the other hand sees the quilts as priceless objects to own and exhibit. She has a new awareness of her heritage, she wants to remove herself from the backward ways of her past and use the artifacts as relics and displays. She feels that by showing admiration for the quilts she is paying respect to her heritage.

In conclusion, Alice Walker is trying to show us that it is important to keep your heritage and roots alive. It is not enough to just learn about them, one needs to live with them. Whether it is to cook a special family recipe or sing a certain song, tradition is what makes a persons life more rich and full. It is vital to keep the legacy vibrant and alive, so that our children will have these significant values to treasure forever.