Lost Heritage In Alice Walker's "Everyday Use"

Want to read the rest of this paper? Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay and over 50,000 other term papers

and
had the meat hung up to chill before nightfall. (Walker
289)

And Maggie is the daughter, "homely and ashamed of the burn scars down her arms
and legs," (Walker 288) who helps Mama by making "the yard so clean and wavy"
(Walker 288) and washes dishes "in the kitchen over the dishpan" (Walker 293).
Neither Mama nor Maggie are 'modernly' educated persons; "I [Mama] never had an
education myself. Sometimes Maggie reads to me. She stumbles along good-
naturedly She knows she is not bright" (Walker 290). However, by helping Mama,
Maggie uses the hand-made items in her life, experiences the life of her
ancestors, and learns the history of both, exemplified by Maggie's knowledge of
the hand-made items and the people who made them--a knowledge which Dee does
not possess.

Contrasting with Mama and Maggie, Dee seeks her heritage without
understanding the heritage itself. Unlike Mama who is rough and man-like, and
Maggie who is shy and scared, Dee is confident, ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays. Write better papers. Get better grades. Already a member? Login

CITE THIS PAGE: