Detailed Analysis of Alice Walker's 'Everyday Use' Story and Themes

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of Alice Walker's short story, 'Everyday Use.' The analysis delves into the complexities of the relationship between Mama and her two daughters, Dee and Maggie, exploring themes of cultural heritage, family dynamics, and social class. The essay examines Dee's transformation and her contrasting views on heritage compared to Mama and Maggie, highlighting the significance of the quilts and their intended use. The author utilizes close reading strategies to understand the nuances of the characters' emotions and motivations. The essay also discusses the challenges in interpreting the relationships within the story and questions Dee's true respect for her cultural roots. The story's setting in the rural South and the portrayal of the African American community further enrich the analysis. The essay concludes with an examination of the story's title and its relation to the central themes.

Running head: STORY ANALYSIS
STORY ANALYSIS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Summary of the chosen story
The story chosen for analysis is titled 'Everyday Use', authored by Alice Walker. This
particular story has several themes which have been harmoniously juxtaposed with each other in
a fashion which complements each other to do justice to the title of the chosen story. The story is
based on an excerpt from the life of a woman of black origin, referred ro as Mama, living in
abject poverty in the rural and pastoral socio economic setting of the Southern part of the United
States of America. Mama had two daughters, elder one named Dee and the younger one named
Maggie, both of whom were of divergent nature. While Dee was ambitious, smart, intelligent,
bold, educated and progressive, Maggie was a dunce at school, shy, frivolous and rooted in
tradirions who followed the path shown by her mother. Dee had pursued her education at
Augusta by the help of the community and whatever little Mama could raise to fund the dreams
of her daughter. After which Dee found a life for herself away from the rural ways of where she
originally hailed from, and sent financial aid to her mother and her sibling, which comprised of a
share of her bounty. Maggie got burnt in a fire tragedy and had been living under the care of her
mother engaging in household works. Mama was not much hopeful of a bright prospect for
Maggie, as she was thought to be destined to marry some John Thomas (Schilb and Clifford).
The story begins with the scene whereby Mama and her younger daughter Maggie
prepares their residence to welcome the elder daughter Dee, who was supposed to visit her
family after a long period of time. While they were preparing for welcoming Dee, Mana was lost
in the contemplations about the discrepancies between Dee and Maggie which stemmed out of a
deep concern for Maggie and the supposed victim of condescence which she became as a result
of the prowess of Dee. Time comes for her arrival and that comes around as a moment of shock

2STORY ANALYSIS
for Mama and Maggie, as Dee had appeared with her partner who was a muslim man. Dee had
worn an extremely flashy dress and flamboyant jewellery. She spoke in a strange tongue and had
also named herself as Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo, relinquishing the name which was given to
her at her birth. Dispute breaks out between Dee, and Mama and Maggie over the demand of Dee
for the two blankets which Mama had saved to be given away to Maggie at her mariage. The
short story ends on a positive note with Mama and Maggie happily handing over the blankets to
Dee, bowing down to her persistence they decide to give her what she wanted and with a smiling
face. Dee before leaving intimates the fact to her mother and her sibling that instead of putting
their precious pieces of art to “everyday use”, they must cherish their cultural heritage, be proud
of it and endeavour to preserve it (Schilb and Clifford).
The themes which can be derived out of the story are, the complexities of relationship
between siblings and the mother; the desire for rising up in the social ladder, the desire to cast
the oppressive aspects of the past to obliviousness, and the respect for ones cultural heritage
despite reaching heights of success. Through the narration of the excerpt from the life Mama, the
author has very skillfully provided a juxtaposition of the disparate themes.
Reason behind choosing the story
This particular story has been chosen since the author has presented the story by
imagining herself as the protagonist, Mama. This particular feature of the story is reflective of
the fact that the author has a deep empathy for the African American community of the nation,
and a deep understanding of the emotions of the community, which had made it possible for her
to place herself in the shoes of the protagonist Mama and maneuver the flow of the story. The

3STORY ANALYSIS
fine presentation of the nuances of the complex emotions shows that the author understands the
effect of societal conditioning in the mechanisms of the mind and the expression of emotions.
Specific topic to be discussed from the story
"Maggie can't appreciate these quilts!" she said. "She'd probably be backward enough
to put them to everyday use."
This particular quotation from the story justifies the title and also has one of the themes,
the theme of the respect for ones cultural heritage despite reaching heights of success, inherent in
it. Dee had received education something which was very difficult for the people belonging to
her community. Her mother could not continue with her education beyond the second grade as in
the year 1927 the people of colour were not allowed to question. Given the social
marginalization and the poor economic conditions, the people of Black origin could not continue
with their education for too long, but Dee was an exception. She led a luxurious lifestyle, had a
partner belonging to Islamic faith, yet she gorged on to the rustic country dishes having pork
products in it when she had visited home. Her persistence to take the blankets with her, the
embracing of an African name, Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo shows that Dee took immense
pride in her cultural background and did not wish to abandon it at any cost (Schilb and Clifford).
Close reading strategies used in the reading of the story
The close reading strategy used had been that of repeated reading and by relating oneself
to the emotions of the characters. These are effective as they aid the comprehension of the
essence being conveyed by the author. Since the author had written the story in first person,

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imagining herself as Mama, hence it is justified to relate oneself to the characters and their
emotions to get the essence of the story (Schilb and Clifford).
Difficulties and Questions
The story makes it difficult to understand the dynamics of relationship that was there
between Dee and Maggie, which remained unclear throughout the story. The lifestyle embraced
by Dee, her occasional visit to her home, her attitude of condescence towards poverty raises the
question of she at all had respect for her on folks and if she at all was proud of her cultural
heritage.

5STORY ANALYSIS
References
Schilb, John, and John Clifford. Arguing about literature: A guide and reader. Bedford/St.
Martin's, 2014.