Symbolism in Everyday Use by Alice Walker

953 Words2 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.

In the story, Maggie is the younger sister and she got burn in a fire. Mama Johnson is the mother of Maggie. Maggie also has a sister name Dee. Dee has a problem. The problem is the she don’t know what is true representation of heritage. Dee is the only good educate from her family. Maggie didn’t go to school and she is very shy. Dee takes a friend name Hakim-A-Barber. Dee and hem are the black power movement. Hakim-A-Barber is very religious and he doesn’t what is true representation of heritage.

In “Everyday Use” symbolism is use a lot times. Dee is one of the main characters. Dee is a symbol of misrepresentation of heritage. As studymode explain to us that “Dee has changed her name to ‘Wangero’ to get closer to her heritages.” Dee changed her name to “Wangero” (718) because she wants to feel closer to her heritage, but her name comes from “Aunt Dicie.”Dee likes to feel better that her mom and her sister. As Voice.Yahoo explains to us “Dee makes the strangers hairdo and tinkling jewelry complete her look.” When Dee was a little girl she likes to feel better the Maggie and Mama Johnson.Dee was symbol of the black power movement. As David white state “walker ...

... middle of paper ...

...t family history was important to Mama Johnson and Maggie.

Works Cited

Bmad,Nick. “Symbolism in Walker’s ‘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’” N.p., 21Aug,2008.Web.17Mar2014.
Moore, Julie. “Heritage and Symbolism In Alice Walker’s ‘Everyday
Use’. “YAHOO! VOICES.Yahoo,Inc., 29may 2007.Web.17mar 2014.
Spark Notes Editors.” Theme, Moties, and Symbols.” Sparknotes.Sparknotes
LLC, N.d., Web.17mar2014.
Velazquez, Juan R. “Characterization and Symbolism in Alice Walker’s ‘Everyday
Use’.”Lonestar.N.p.,n.d. Web. 17Mar2014.
Walker, Alice. “Everyday Use.” Heritage of American Literature.Ed. James E.
Miller 2ndAustin: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.1991.714.Print
Writework Editors. “Symbolism in ‘Everyday Use’ by Alice
Walker.”Writework.N.p., may2006.Web.17mar2014

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