Everyday Use

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Usually when someone reads a story, there are literary devices built in that help add flavor and meaning to the story. Literary devices help the reader comprehend the main themes and ideas of the story effortlessly. There can be multiple literary devices in a story, such as foreshadowing, irony, imagery, and so forth. Symbolism is a common literary device used because a symbol can be a word or an image to describe a certain meaning or message the author may be trying to get across. In the short story “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, the author uses symbolism to show that someone’s culture and heritage will ultimately always be part of their daily lives, and it also shows how it affects the way someone thinks of their past and of their families. …show more content…

much of her writing explores life within African American communities rather than directly addressing their experiences with white society,” (Yuldashbayevna). The historical period of “Everyday Use” is in the late 1960s and early 1970s in Georgia. During this time, the black culture in rural areas struggled in the hostile environment they were in. In “Everyday Use” the mood of the short story is contemplative due to the uncertainty and tense feeling throughout the reading. The narrator of the story is Mama who describes the events that occurred when her eldest daughter, Dee, comes home to visit her and her youngest daughter, Maggie. One main symbol that Walker uses in her story is the character she chooses. One in particular is Dee. Dee is the embodiment of jealousy among her family members. As an individual, she endeavors to seek personal significance and a more solid sense of herself as a person. Walker describes Dee in the short story as a daughter who lacks appreciation and is overly concerned with her image and materialistic items while visiting her mother and …show more content…

She knows she is not bright,” Walker said. When Mama is talking about Maggie’s reading ability, it shows the unenlightenment of her literacy. Around the beginning of the short story Mama brings up a time when the girls were younger, and Maggie was severely burned due to their old house catching on fire. The scares that she suffered from the fire represent that the ugly appearance of them hides her comforting bountiful nature. The scares also represent how Maggie acts towards people, which is usually quiet, shy, and awkward. Furthermore, the scares show how all African Americans during this time have suffered from a “fire” essential to comparing it to slavery. Maggie throughout the story symbolizes the girl who is insecure and who has had a rough past, but ultimately, she still has a kind heart and is an adequate righteous human being. Moreover, Walker’s usage of the yard in the short story symbolizes a private space free of the guilt and deficiency that has occurred throughout Mama’s life. The yard is featured at the beginning and end of “Everyday Use,” to establish the events that occurred and to provide a framework for the plot. In the short story it says, “A yard like this is more comfortable than most people

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