Essay about Message of Family Heritage in Alice Walkers...

In Alice Walkers Everyday Use, the message about the preservation of heritage, specifically African-American heritage, is very clear. It is obvious that Walker believes that a persons heritage should be a living, dynamic part of the culture from which it arose and not a frozen timepiece only to be observed from a distance. There are two main approaches to heritage preservation depicted by the characters in this story. The narrator, a middle-aged African-American woman, and her youngest daughter Maggie, are in agreement with Walker. To them, their family heritage is everything around them that is involved in their everyday lives and everything that was involved in the lives of their ancestors. To Dee, the narrators oldest†¦show more content†¦However, Dee does not realize that. Apparently, she believes that by changing her name she is expressing solidarity with her African ancestors and rejecting the oppression implied by the taking on of American names by black slaves. Commenting on the way Dee is acting when they sit down to eat, her mother says, Everything delighted her. Even the fact that we still used the benches her daddy made for the table when we couldnt afford to buy chairs (411). Dee seems to be so interested in all of the little household items that her family still uses. When she sees the top to the butter churn that her Uncle whittled out of a tree, she wants to keep it and use it a centerpiece for her alcove table. Also, Dee says, Ill think of something artistic to do with the dasher (412). These items are a part of life for Maggie and her mother, but to Dee they are merely pieces for decoration. Interestingly enough, Maggie knows exactly whom in her family made the items that Dee is claiming for house decorations. She informs Dee that, Aunt Dee s first husband whittled that dashÂ…His name was Henry, but they called him Stash (412). The girls mother comments earlier in the story that [Maggie] knows shes not bright. Like good looks and money, quickness passed her by (409). However, unlike her older sister, she understands her family heritage and the importance of it in her life. The strongest example of Dees confusion and of Walkers beliefShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Family Heritage By Alice Walker1100 Words   |  5 PagesSydney Elliott ENGL 102-52 Dr. Irmer February 25, 2015 The Importance of Family Heritage One of the most inspiring authors in American history is Alice Walker. Walker is the youngest child in a sharecropper family that found her overly ambitious and highly competitive (Walker 609). This gave her a strong fighting attitude, which allowed her to make positive changes in an extremely racist society. Unfortunately, when she was young, Walker was accidentally shot in her right eye with a BB gun whileRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1725 Words   |  7 PagesSometimes people forget that heritage has to do with truly understanding their past. Many often misrepresent it, especially the younger generations who just accept its presence. Alice Walker’s short story, â€Å"Everyday Use,† revolves around an African American family that consists of three women, who are very different from each other. The story begins with Maggie and Mama waiting in the yard for Dee, the main character, to visit from Augusta. Dee is the first person in her family to attend college, w hichRead MoreEssay on Alice Walkers Everyday Use1144 Words   |  5 PagesHeritage is something that people see in various ways. When many people think of heritage they think of past generation and where their family comes from. Other people place their heritage on the value of things, such as old quits that are made from something sentimental. In Everyday Use this is exactly how Maggie thinks of heritage. She wants the quits that were handmade out of her grandma’s dresses because to her that is a sign of her heritage. Alice Walker’s story is based on heritage. 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Walker could’ve chosen to explain the title more obviously withinRead MoreComparisson of Mother Tounge and Everyday Use1417 Words   |  6 PagesEdgar Hernandez Professor Ali ENC 1102 March 20, 2014 Amy Tans, â€Å"Mother Tongue† and Alice Walkers â€Å"Everyday Use† both share similar traits in their writings of these two short stories. â€Å"Mother Tongue† revolves around the experiences Tan and her mother had due to her mothers English speaking limitations, she also revolves her story around the relationship of a mother and daughter. Alice walker on the other hand writes a story narrated by â€Å"Mama† the mother of two daughters Maggie and Dee andRead More Family Heritage In Everyday Use Essay1183 Words   |  5 PagesFamily Heritage In Everyday Use In Alice Walkers Everyday Use, the message about the preservation of heritage, specifically African-American heritage, is very clear. It is obvious that Walker believes that a persons heritage should be a living, dynamic part of the culture from which it arose and not a frozen timepiece only to be observed from a distance. There are two main approaches to heritage preservation depicted by the characters in this story. The narrator, a middle-aged African-AmericanRead More Essay on Appearance vs Reality in Everyday Use and The Gilded Six-Bits1200 Words   |  5 PagesAppearance versus Reality in Alice Walkers and Zora Neale Hurstons Everyday Use and The Gilded Six-Bits  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Gilded Six-Bits it appears that Otis D. Slemmons, the towns newest arrival, is rich, but by closer inspection by Joe Banks and Missie May, is found to be poor.   In Everyday Use, Maggie doesnt appear to be smart enough to honor and appreciate her heritage, but she and not Dee/Wangero is really preserving the family traditions as well as heritage.   Both The Gilded Six-BitsRead MoreCharacterization And Suspense In Alice Walkers Everyday Use987 Words   |  4 Pagesdetails can be used to build suspense when they are placed in the correct space. Characterization is a huge part of Walker’s piece, and the way in which she used imagery and past events builds suspense and provides only needed information. The suspense created by Walker creates a sense of uneasiness in the reader, and adds to the overall message of the story. Through foreshadowing, Alice Walker was able to build up her characters and her plot, while at the same time not giving away too much in formation