Topic: `everyday Use` By Alice Walker

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Type of paper:	Essay
Subject area:	American Literature
Academic level:	College
Style:	MLA
Size:	24.5 kB
Word count:	737 words/3 pages
Mark awarded:
Author:	Raisa Johnson
Date submitted:	2008-11-21 22:52:16
Rating/Votes count:	5.00 / 4

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Tags:

world, use, literature, heritage, theories, alice, walker, situations, everyday, Alice Walker, Maggie, Queen, White Queen, Anniina Jokinen

Heritage in ``Everyday Use '
``Everyday Use ' by Alice Walker is a story of conflicting relations
between mother and daughters . Nevertheless , this conflict is on the
surface and if to look deeper it will become obvious that the real
problem is the concept of cultural heritage as it is applied to
African-American roots . In her story the author wants to show that
cultural heritage should be essential and living part of every person
and people should be proud of their cultural roots . To deny culture , for
author , means to deny one 's identity . It is necessary to underline that
quilts are the symbols of traditions and cultural heritage .
However , different attitudes towards quilts and heritage are presented
in the story : on the one hand - Mama and Maggie with traditional values
and on the other hand Dee with her idea to create new heritage . Quilts
are symbolic bond between generations representing memory and family
ties . Dee and Maggie are absolutely different in appearance and ,
moreover , their ideas about cultural heritage differ dramatically as
well .
Maggie and Dee have different ideas and views on cultural heritage and
family roots . As it is mentioned above , Dee tries to deny her African
roots , whereas Maggie feels proud of her cultural identity . Dee thinks
that she would succeed in her personal life and career only if she
denies her African roots . In contrast to Dee , Maggie is shown to have
traditional values and she thinks it is necessary to preserve family
traditions , beliefs and values . For example , Maggie is proud of family
quilts as they are very useful . Moreover , Maggie 's grandmother teaches
her to quilt . Maggie is proud that her mother saves the quilts and will
present her after she is married .
Dee isn 't interested in quilts at the beginning , whereas Maggie views
quilts as reminder of her aunt and grandmother . Maggie says : ``I can
`member them without quilts . Nevertheless , Dee also values quilts and
thinks they are priceless and they should be displayed , but in her heart
she hates her cultural heritage . She decides to collect her own heritage
instead . Before she goes off to college , she says that quilts aren 't
good as they ``are old-fashioned and out of style . Nevertheless , than
she changes her minds and wants these quilts to be displayed at her
home . Actually , Dee wants to prove that she can appreciate these quilts
more than Maggie can , but Maggie needs than for spiritual reasons ,
whereas Dee 's reasons are surely materialistic - quilts are priceless
and they symbolize material success and prosperity .
Actually , I support Maggie 's view on quilts as they are insupportable
part of cultural heritage and they shouldn 't be viewed as the sign of
material success . Quilts , their origin and their history are the memory
of the family : ``In both of them 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 . that was from Great
Grandpa...

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