Everyday Use By Alice Walker Characters

Everyday Use by Alice Walker: A Deep Dive into the Characters and Their Significance

Alice Walker's "Everyday Use," a poignant short story exploring themes of heritage, family dynamics, and the complexities of identity, features a cast of richly developed characters who embody these themes in compelling ways. The story's power lies not only in its narrative but also in the nuanced portrayals of its central characters: Mama, Dee (Wangero), and Maggie. This essay will delve into each character, analyzing their motivations, relationships, and the symbolic significance they hold within the larger context of the story.

Mama: The Unsung Matriarch

Mama, the story's narrator, is the emotional and physical heart of the family. She is a strong, resilient woman shaped by a life of hardship and quiet dignity. Unlike her daughters, Mama's identity is firmly rooted in her lived experience. She isn't defined by intellectual pursuits or a yearning for a romanticized past, but rather by the tangible realities of her daily life: the chores, the meals, the quiet resilience in the face of adversity. This grounding in the everyday is what makes her character so relatable and deeply affecting.

Mama's Pragmatism vs. Dee's Idealism:

Mama's pragmatism stands in stark contrast to Dee's idealism. While Dee seeks to claim her heritage as a collection of artifacts, Mama understands heritage as a living, breathing entity passed down through generations – a legacy woven into the fabric of everyday life. This fundamental difference shapes their conflict and highlights the story's central theme: the true meaning of heritage and its preservation. Mama’s pragmatic approach to her heritage involves using the quilts for their intended purpose – keeping warm, providing comfort, and representing the continuity of family tradition through practical application. This is not mere sentimentality, but a tangible demonstration of her family's history, passed down stitch by stitch.

Mama's Emotional Intelligence:

Mama's understanding of her daughters is subtle but profound. She recognizes Dee's hunger for validation and attention, and Maggie's quiet insecurity. Her decision to give the quilts to Maggie is not a rejection of Dee, but rather a recognition of Maggie’s silent need and deeper understanding of their shared heritage. Mama's emotional intelligence allows her to navigate the complex dynamics of her family with a surprising grace, even amidst the tension and conflict that arises. Her acceptance of Maggie’s quiet strength reveals a deep appreciation for genuine connection and the importance of shared experience in defining identity and heritage. It's this emotional intelligence that allows her to transcend the superficial judgments that might otherwise characterize this conflict. Mama's character is enriched by the nuanced choices she makes.

Dee (Wangero): The Aspirational Daughter

Dee, who later changes her name to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo, represents the intellectual and aspirational side of the African American experience. She embodies a yearning for a romanticized past, viewing her heritage as something to be displayed and admired rather than actively lived and cherished. Dee's embrace of her African roots manifests as a superficial adoption of a new identity. She sees her heritage as a commodity, something to be collected and showcased to project a specific image of herself.

Dee's Rejection of Her Past:

Dee’s rejection of her past and her family's simpler lifestyle underscores a deeper disconnect. She actively seeks to distance herself from what she considers "low class" or "unrefined." She sees her family's history as something to be escaped rather than embraced, a past to be left behind as she strives for a more sophisticated identity. This detachment is deeply rooted in her quest for self-discovery and acceptance beyond the confines of her rural upbringing. This act of distancing is not just a rejection of her family; it’s a complex process of identity formation that involves rejecting aspects of herself she finds limiting or embarrassing.

Dee's Need for Validation:

Dee's behavior can be viewed through the lens of her need for external validation. She seeks to redefine her identity through the acquisition of symbolic objects, rather than through genuine self-reflection and understanding. Her adoption of an African name signifies an attempt to connect with her heritage, but this connection remains superficial, lacking the depth and authenticity of her mother and sister's understanding.

Maggie: The Quiet Observer

Maggie, the younger daughter, represents a stark contrast to Dee. She is shy, quiet, and deeply rooted in the family's traditions and history. Unlike Dee, who seeks validation externally, Maggie finds security in her family and their shared heritage. She possesses a quiet strength and an unassuming appreciation for the family's past and the simple things in life.

Maggie's Acceptance of Her Heritage:

Maggie’s quiet acceptance of her heritage underscores the story's central theme. Her understanding of the quilts is not rooted in a superficial appreciation of their aesthetic value but rather in their intimate connection to her family’s history. Each stitch represents a shared memory, a piece of her family's collective experience. Maggie's acceptance of her heritage is not a passive act but rather a deep, inherent understanding of its significance. Her quiet strength and resilience contrast sharply with Dee's flamboyant displays and superficial connection to the past. The quilts, for her, are not simply artifacts but active participants in her present, connecting her to the past and shaping her understanding of the future.

Maggie's Resilience:

Maggie’s character displays profound resilience. She carries the emotional scars of a difficult life, yet she shows extraordinary strength in her quiet acceptance of her fate and her family. This unassuming resilience underscores her connection to her mother and their shared understanding of heritage. The scars she bears are not symbols of defeat but rather of survival and perseverance. They represent the silent strength of a life lived with quiet dignity, a quality often overlooked in the more dramatic aspects of the story.

The Significance of the Quilts

The quilts are more than just objects; they are powerful symbols representing the family's history, tradition, and heritage. They are a tangible manifestation of the generational continuity that binds Mama and Maggie together. The quilts represent the lived experience of the family, passed down through generations, each stitch embodying a shared memory, a life lesson, and a piece of the family's collective history.

Quilts as a Symbol of Continuity:

The quilts serve as a potent symbol of the continuous flow of heritage and tradition. Unlike Dee who seeks to turn them into static artifacts, Mama and Maggie recognize their living, breathing essence. The quilts are not mere museum pieces, but rather working parts of their lives, embodying the practical application of family history. They are a symbol of continuity, representing the unbreakable bond between generations and the ongoing narrative of family life.

Quilts as a Metaphor for Heritage:

The quilts function as a metaphor for the broader discussion of heritage. Dee's desire to preserve them as artifacts reflects a disconnected and superficial understanding of heritage, while Mama and Maggie's understanding emphasizes the active, living aspect of heritage—an ongoing process rather than a static artifact. The quilts are symbolic of the ongoing conversation between the past, present, and future, a conversation that requires active participation rather than passive observation.

Conclusion: A Story of Contrasting Visions

"Everyday Use" is a powerful story exploring the complexities of identity, heritage, and family relationships. Through the contrasting characters of Mama, Dee, and Maggie, Alice Walker illuminates the diverse ways in which individuals understand and engage with their past. The story's strength lies in its nuanced portrayal of these characters, their motivations, and their ultimately divergent approaches to understanding their heritage. The conflict is not merely about objects, but about fundamentally differing interpretations of the past and their place within the family narrative. The story’s lasting impact stems from its exploration of these complexities and its exploration of what truly constitutes heritage and its preservation within the context of a family’s lived experience. The ending of the story underscores the importance of lived experience and the active preservation of cultural heritage within the context of a living family legacy.