African-America Heritage
‘A Raisin in the Sun’ by Lorraine Hansberry and ‘Everyday Use’ by Alice Walker are stories involving African American families. Beneatha from ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ and Dee in ‘Everyday Use’ are the main components in both stories, which come from a family immersed in history, culture, and tradition. However, both girls are filled with the yearning to be different, disconnect from their family dynamics, and seek individuality.
Dee’s family comprises her mother and Maggie, her younger sister. Dee’s mother and Maggie are invested in their family culture, unlike Dee, who is more interested in the latest trends and fashions. Her interests led her to adopt an African name, Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo, and start to date a man named Asalamalakim (Walker 179). Instead of embracing and honoring her roots, Dee cuts herself from her family. Dee desires her family heirlooms but never appreciates them being part of her family.
Beneatha lives with her family but starts to rebel against her family dynamics at the beginning of the story. She feels stuck being a black woman. Beneatha studies to be a doctor, although she jumps from one hobby to another. She later works as a doctor in Africa when she starts dating a man named Asagi, who helps her love her culture (Hansberry 55). Both Dee and Beneatha work hard to embrace their own culture, although Dee does it because it is popular, while Beneatha does it for her love for the people she came from. Their desire to embrace their African heritage starts in their pursuit of more outstanding education.
Dee and Beneatha’s choices to promote African heritage result in conflicts and separation from their family; her mum slaps Beneatha for her blasphemous talk (Hansberry 51). Mama Dee is disappointed when Dee changes her name, and finally, she cuts off her family to seek her African heritage (Whitsitt). Both have conflicts with their parents due to the difference in ideologies and how they view things. Both are bitter, angry, and resentful toward their family.
References
Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. Concord Theatricals, 1984.
Walker, Alice. Everyday use. Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, 2004.
Whitsitt, S. Despite it all: A reading of Alice Walker’s “everyday use.” African American Review, 34(3), 2000: 443-459.
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Question 
African-America Heritage
After reading both Alice Walker’s story “Everyday Use” and the article “Everyday Use”: Defining African-American Heritage” by David White, consider the theme of differences between African and African-American heritage in BOTH the story “Everyday Use” and the play A Raisin in the Sun. Think of the similarities and differences between Dee and Beneatha and how the young ladies tend to elevate an African heritage they know little about over the African-American heritage they were raised with. Now, write a paragraph comparing and contrasting the two characters and analyze their choices to promote their African heritage and, by doing so, disrespect their immediate family and their African-American heritage. Synthesize information from the play, short story, and article to make your point.