Symbolism in Alice Walker's Everyday Use

1336 Words3 Pages

There are many examples of symbolism in Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use.” Whether it’s representing Mama Johnson, Dee or Maggie. Even everyday household objects. Symbolism is used to express or represent ideas or qualities in english, art, mathematics, science,etc. In many ways symbolism can be used to represent an idea that means more than the literal meaning.

In “Everyday Use” Mama Johnson and Maggie are awaiting for Dee’s arrival after several years of not being able to see her. Dee had left for college a while back and had wrote a letter saying she was coming to visit.

In the story the characters are described in their own certain way. Mama Johnson is a very hard working woman that has done everything that a man can could do. Dee is a very educated optimistic woman who has never liked living in the poor way her mother and her sister Maggie use to live. She is very stuck up and very presuming. She likes to make her mother and sister feel like their worthless compared to her. Maggie on the other hand is a very shy timid girl who has always lived with Mama Johnson, and is not used to having her mother stand up for her.

The conflict started when Dee was asking for house hold items that belonged to Mama Johnson, but there was one in particular that Dee wanted. Dee had her eye on the hand stitched quilts that had huge history behind them. When she asked mama if she could have the quilts mama said no because she

had promised Maggie she could have them when she got married. Dee hesitated in giving the quilts to Maggie so mama snatched them from her hand and placed them in Maggies arms.

Symbolism is used in various ways in Walkers “Everyday Use”. For example, the character Mama Johnson is describe...

... middle of paper ...

...g in “Everyday Use”. When it comes to inheritance it doesn't matter what object you have or any kind of art; all that matters is that we know and recognize from where we came from and teach that your inheritance doesn't come from any object but from the heart.

Works Cited

Bmad,Nick.”Symbolism In Walkers ‘Everyday Use’ “ Enotes N.p.,4 July 2007. Web 17 mar 2014.

Eshbaugh, Ruth.” A Literary Analysis of Alice Walker’s Short Story ‘Everyday Use’.” Yahoo! Voices. Yahoo.Inc., 21 Aug 2008.Web. 17 Mar 2014.

SparkNotes Editors.”Themes,Motifs, and Symbols.” SparkNotes. SparkNotes LLC, N.d., Web 17 Mar 2014.

Researchomatic Editors. “Themes and Symbols of Alice Walker’s ‘Everyday Use’.” Researchomatic.N.p., May 2011.Web. 17 Mar 2014.

Velasquez, Juan R. “Characterization and Symbolism in Alice Walker’s ‘Everyday Use’.” Lonestar. N.p.,n.d.Web. 17 Mar 2014.

Show More
Related

  • An Analysis Of Alice Walker's 'Everyday Use'

    1496 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ultimately, the dispute over what is considered everyday use is what brings about Alice Walker’s title. In the case of Alice Walker, her title is derived from the idea of the conflict and message of the story. Alice Walker challenges her readers to see the negative outcome of being a materialistic person. She shows how this often harms people’s families, and also hurts livelihoods in convincing people to use things in a good or insecure manner. Alice Walker identifies much in “Everyday Use,” and these things are displayed through title which she selected. It draws people to the story, in craving what the story is about, and it also gives enough information to make the story interesting. Titles reflect a story and show how important it is for people to discuss the messages, certain lines, and conflicts in a story, and Alice Walker’s story really shows all three of these things. Overall, Alice Walker’s choice of “Everyday Use,” for her title is correctly chosen because first it portrays differing ideas, is the indirect source of conflict, and last, identifies the ‘good’ and the

    Read More

  • Family Heirlooms In Everyday Use By Alice Walker

    1151 Words  | 3 Pages

    The quilts were pieced together by Mama, Grandma Dee, and Big Dee symbolizing a long line of relatives. The quilts made from scraps of dresses worn by Grandma Dee, Grandpa Jarrell’s Paisley shirts, and Great Grandpa Ezra’s Civil War uniform represented the family heritage and values, and had been promised to Mama to Maggie when she married. However, Dee does not understand the love put into the making of the quilts, neither does she understand the significance of the quilts as part of her family heritage. It is evident she does not understand the significance of the quilt, having been offered one when went away to college declaring them “as old-fashioned” and “out of style”. She does not care about the value of the quilts to her family, rather she sees it as a work of art, valuable as an African heritage but not as a family heirloom. She wants the quilts because they are handmade, not stitched with around the borders. She tells Mama, “Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts!... She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use… But, they’re priceless!.. Maggie would put them on her the bed and in five years they’d be in rags. Less than that!” (317). The quilt signifies the family pride and history, which is important to Mama. She makes the decision to give the quilt to Maggie who will appreciate it more than Dee, to whom she says, “God knows I been saving ‘em for long enough with

    Read More

  • Everyday Use by Alice Walker: A Look at Symbolism and Family Values

    893 Words  | 2 Pages

    Tate, Claudia C. "'Everyday Use' by Alice Walker." African American Review 30.2 (1996): 308+. Literature Resource Center. Web. 2 Feb. 2014.

    Read More

  • Symbolism in the Short Story "Everyday Use"

    571 Words  | 2 Pages

    Alice Walker is a well-known African- American writer known for published fiction, poetry, and biography. She received a number of awards for many of her publications. One of Walker's best short stories titled "Everyday Use," tells the story of a mother and her two daughters' conflicting ideas about their heritage. The mother narrates the story of the visit by her daughter, Dee. She is an educated woman who now lives in the city, visiting from college. She starts a conflict with the other daughter, Maggie over the possession of the heirloom quilts. Maggie still lives the lifestyle of her ancestors; she deserves the right of the quilts. This story explores heritage by using symbolism of the daughters' actions, family items, and tradition.

    Read More

  • Everyday Use

    811 Words  | 2 Pages

    In her short story “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker portrays the conflicts and struggles within a family’s culture. The focus is on two characters with completely different personalities and their conflict about a family’s heirloom. Alice Walker shows in her story that one’s culture and values can be affected by the personalities, different lifestyles, and a family’s relationship.

    Read More

  • The Character of Mama in Alice Walker’s Everyday Use

    936 Words  | 2 Pages

    One situation in particular that Mama brings up is the time when she offers to Dee to bring some of the ancestral quilts with her to college. She claims, “I had offered Dee a quilt whe...

    Read More

  • Symbolism in Everyday Use by Alice Walker

    953 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “Everyday Use” Alice Walker used symbolism throughout the story. Symbolism is an object that has a special meaning for person. For example, Puerto Rican flag have one star and the star represent one colonies of United State. It also has three stripes. The stripes represent when you United State freedom us from Spain. The Egyptians use symbols to communicate by writing. Symbols are use in math equations, shape and sets of numbers. In the equation 1+2-4=-1, the symbols - is use for subtraction or to show a negative number, and the symbol + is use for addition.

    Read More

  • The Meaning of Heritage in Alice Walker's Everyday Use

    988 Words  | 2 Pages

    Walker, Alice. "Everyday Use." Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: Harper Collins, 1991.

    Read More

  • Essay on the Setting of Everyday Use

    609 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the short story, "Everyday Use", author Alice Walker uses everyday objects, which are described in the story with some detail, and the reactions of the main characters to these objects, to contrast the simple and practical with the stylish and faddish. The main characters in this story, "Mama" and Maggie on one side, Dee on the other, each have opposing views on the value and worth of the various items in their lives, and the author uses this conflict to make the point that the substance of an object, and of people, is more important than style.

    Read More

  • Hand Sewn Quilts In Everyday Use By Alice Walker

    392 Words  | 1 Pages

    Dee, the older sister, wants to hang the quilts on a wall and view her culture from a distance. In fact she even seems ashamed of her family situation. In a letter to her mother Dee says, " . . . no matter where [they] choose to live, she will manage to come and see [them], but she will never bring her friends" (87). She even goes as far as to denounce her name because she claims, " I couldn't bear it any longer being named after the people that oppress me" (89). However, her mother states that she was named after her aunt and grandmother, the very people who made her beloved quilts. She makes it apparent that her idea of appreciating her culture is to leave it alone, especially when she says, " Maggie can't appreciate these quilts! She'd probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use"(91).

    Read More

  • Maggie And Dee In Alice Walker's Everyday Use

    784 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “Everyday Use,” Mama illustrates the relationship between her two daughters. Both Maggie and Dee are like opposite poles, making it seem like their relationship is non-existent. Dee is a well-educated, good-looking young woman; who is so concerned with style, and fashion that she lacks the meaning of family and heritage. Maggie, however, is a simple, scarred young girl who truly understands the meaning behind family, and heritage. In “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker demonstrates through Mama’s eyes, the strain in Maggie and Dee’s relationship through Maggie’s actions towards her estranged sister’s visit, and Dee’s remarks and dominance over her younger sister.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Personal Identity in Alice Walker's Everyday Use

    623 Words  | 2 Pages

    Author Alice Walker, displays the importance of personal identity and the significance of one’s heritage. These subjects are being addressed through the characterization of each character. In the story “Everyday Use”, the mother shows how their daughters are in completely two different worlds. One of her daughter, Maggie, is shy and jealous of her sister Dee and thought her sister had it easy with her life. She is the type that would stay around with her mother and be excluded from the outside world. Dee on the other hand, grew to be more outgoing and exposed to the real, modern world. The story shows how the two girls from different views of life co-exist and have a relationship with each other in the family. Maggie had always felt that Mama, her mother, showed more love and care to Dee over her. It is until the end of the story where we find out Mama cares more about Maggie through the quilt her mother gave to her. Showing that even though Dee is successful and have a more modern life, Maggie herself is just as successful in her own way through her love for her traditions and old w...

    Read More

  • Everyday Use

    814 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Everyday Use" is a short story written by Alice Walker. Walker did a wonderful job illustrating her characters. There are all types of characters in this short story from round to static. Her use of simple symbolism prompts the reader to take a deeper look into the story. Walker’s humble way of conveying the theme makes the reader take a second look at him or herself. Walker did an excellent job in writing this story, so she could warn people of what might happen if they do not live properly.

    Read More

  • Literary Analysis Of Everyday Use By Alice Walker

    850 Words  | 2 Pages

    When Dee finds out that her mama promise to give the quilts to her sister, Dee gets very angry and says that she deserves the quilts more than Maggie because Maggie would not take care of them like she would. Dee feels that she can value and treasure heritage more than her sister Maggie. Dee does what she wants, whenever she wants and she will not accept the word no for any answer. “She thinks her sister has held life always in the palm of one hand, that "no" is a word the world never learned to say to her.” Maggie is used to never getting anything. Throughout the entire story, it says that Maggie gives up many things so Dee can have what she needs or

    Read More

  • The Mother-Daughter Relationship In Everyday Use By Alice Walker

    925 Words  | 2 Pages

    through she is there with her mom everyday(Cowart 171-72). When Wangero comes back with her boyfriend, she acts like she 's better than them because she found her heritage and she lost what is important to them the mother-daughter relationship. In another source it say “Dee obviously holds a central place in Mama’s world,” so her central place is the reason why all the stuff that she wants she gets especially things that hold heritage value(Susan Farrell 180). The mother-daughter bond that she shares with Wangero is much more special and that bond with her mom should mean more to her then the quilts or anything else with any type of history

    Read More

More about Symbolism in Alice Walker's Everyday Use

Open Document