How Symbolism Is Used in Alice Walker Everyday Use

How Symbolism Is Used in Alice Walker Everyday Use

In her work of art, “Everyday Use”, Alice Walker talks about the significance of cultural heritage and family history. She has done this through the use of symbolism. Alice narrates a story of a materialistic and ungrateful daughter who visits her mother and sister. Upon arrival, she requests to have the family’s pieces of decoration to her new house. It is through symbolism that Walker can evoke a sense of realism to the reader by creating a world that has familiar characters. The already highlighted character’s actions are not only disrespectful but negative as well. It is a way to highlight a message of never treating family in that manner but rather embracing your culture to continue being part of your family’s heritage.

Dee symbolizes success which is accompanied by her temperance and care of her roots. On the other hand, her sister Maggie depicts reverence and passion for the past. All these are Walker’s ways to use symbolism evidently in her story in a matter of embracing heritage and culture. Told from the first person, when she talks about the arrival of her daughter, mama’s point of view provides the reader with insights that she appreciates heritage. It is very evident from her spoken words in (paragraph 54), where she describes the dasher as a beautiful yellow wood, that was made from a tree that grew in the yard where Big Dee lived. This connection to the past opens the eyes of the reader to Dee’s lack of it. When Dee asks to be referred to as Wangero, it is clear she is not proud of her African culture as a whole by failure to respect her past and then again doesn’t care about her actual heritage, but she cares for African values as a whole. Dee’s denial of the name of the family is the beginning of total ignorance of the family’s past. Apart from disrespecting her family, she has further extended the same to the entire culture.

Walker uses the success symbol and pride of Dee to show how the confidence makes her disregard her past, family, and culture. Just like her new self, she believes that the quilt connects her to her heritage since she doesn’t have a clue about it. It is always good to always look back to our parents, memo0ries, cultural history, and everything regardless of where one may go or the success they achieve in life.

When their mother tells Dee she had promised her sister Maggie the quilts, it introduces sibling rivalry. Dee is always insulting her sister and saying that she can never appreciate them, and instead, she will make the quilt become an everyday use item. That is what their mother wants, and while Maggie has learned how to use them, Dee doesn’t. While her physical appearance depicts the African culture, her family solely believes in the traditions of the quilts, something that Dee doesn’t bother about. She thinks she is honouring her culture by changing it into an African name. She fails to look beyond the cultural appearance. In the final moment of her visit, during the altercation with her family, mama internally insults her, referring her to “Miss Wangero” (76), wherein in her mind it was Dee (Wangero) all along with the story.

In her story, walker used familiar traits in “Everyday use”. There is a neglected sister, a successful arrogant daughter, and a mother all trying to connect with her opposing children in her message. The disconnected family portrays the sense of significance in physical objects. The quilt brings the family together on the verge of understanding self-identity and history. Although Dee expects to be given them, Maggie was promised them, which makes their mother get stuck in the middle of her daughters. Dee feels like an alpha in the family as she disregards and lacks respect for the heritage and culture, and that how she disconnects from the quilts and the entire family. Keenly, you will realize that Walker’s focus on the physical objects teaches the reader the need to respect even the smallest traditions within the family.

Work cited

Walker, Alice. Everyday use. Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, 2004.

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Quilts:

Symbolism: The quilts symbolize heritage, family traditions, and the connection to one’s roots. They represent the African-American culture and history passed down through generations.

Analysis: Explore how Dee and Maggie treat the quilts differently. Dee sees them as art pieces to display, while Maggie views them as practical items for everyday use. This contrast symbolizes their differing attitudes towards their heritage.

How Symbolism Is Used in Alice Walker’s Everyday Use

2. The Butter Churn and Dash:

Symbolism: The butter churn and dash symbolize traditional, rural life and manual labor. They represent the hard work and practical skills of previous generations.

Analysis: Consider how these items are valued by Dee and the mother. Dee sees them as artifacts to showcase her heritage, while the mother and Maggie value them for their practical use and sentimental value.

3. Names:

Symbolism: The names of the characters hold symbolic significance. Dee changes her name to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo to reclaim her African identity, while Maggie retains her given name.

Analysis: Reflect on what each name symbolizes about the characters’ identities and their relationship with their heritage and culture.

4. Dee’s Clothing:

Symbolism: Dee’s choice of clothing symbolizes her rejection of her rural upbringing and embrace of African heritage. It reflects her desire to assert her identity separate from her family and roots.

Analysis: Examine how Dee’s clothing choices create a visual contrast with the traditional, practical attire of Maggie and the mother. Consider what this symbolizes about Dee’s values and priorities.

5. The House:

Symbolism: The house symbolizes the family’s heritage and the struggles they have faced. It represents their roots in the rural South and the memories and traditions that define them.

Analysis: Explore how the house is described and its significance in the story. Consider its condition, location, and the memories associated with it.

Instruction Guide:

Focus: Analyze each symbol in relation to the themes of heritage, identity, and the tension between past and present.

Support: Use textual evidence to support your analysis of each symbol’s meaning and significance.

Context: Consider the historical and cultural context of the story to deepen your understanding of the symbols and their implications.

Thesis: Develop a thesis statement that encapsulates how symbolism enhances the reader’s understanding of the characters and themes in “Everyday Use.”

By following this guide, you can effectively explore how symbolism is used in Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” to enrich the narrative and convey deeper layers of meaning.