I think the reason that Alice choose "Everyday Use" as a title is because she cherished the things that she used form her relatives of the past. Such as the butter churner it meant something to her because it came from the tree that her brother made out of tree and the butter dish that her mom made as well as the chairs that her husband made went the couldnt afford to buy some. Even though the littlest things may not mean some much to one person they could mean the world to another. Things that come from our past we look at as a type of remembrance of those who either made them or gave them to us.
How do Dee, Maggie, and Mama define heritage? Which view does Walker want us to agree with?
The way that Dee is interacted with her heritage is by changing her name. He changed her name to Wangero which she believes to be more of an African name. The way that Maggie and Mama view their heritage is from their ancestry. They claim that their heritage is passed down to them from the mothers and grandmothers and they respect their heritage in a way of living through the past but into the future. Alices agrees with taking what she was taught from her mom and grandmother and passing down the traditions onto her kids so that their heritage will always remain apart of them.
Describe the setting – how does it affect the characters and story?
The setting of the story is set in South in the late 1920's. The story is set at their house which is described as a poorer living house. The house has a tin roof with windows that use raw hide as shutters. The characters are effected because they grew up in poverty and had always accept it. Where as Dee was ashamed to as where she came from and never wanted to bring anyone around her family or to her house. It affects the narrator because she wants to be close to her daughter but knows that Dee will never except where she is from.
What is ironic about Dee’s name change to Wangero?
The irony in Dee changing her name is that name is more African. She was named Dee after her grandmother and she changed it to Wangero. Wangero was never been involved with her heritage or following the footsteps of her ancestors. She always tried to play more of the classy and stylish girl. She was embarrassed of her family and didnt want much to do with them. She had moved and went to school and lived on her own. Therefore it was ironic for her to change her name to more of an African name because she always tried ways to escape her heritage.
What is the significance of certain items in the story – the butter churn, dasher, bench and quilt?
The story talked about many significant items that were in the house. The items were used to represent people form their past. The butter churn was made from Uncle Buddy who widdled it out of a tree that use to be in Mama's backyard. The dasher was whttled by Henry who was Aunt Dee's first husband. The bench was made by the girls father when they couldnt afford to by chairs and the quilts were pieced by Grandma Dee and Big Dee then Mama quilted them. Their meaingful quilts because they contain pieces of clothing from both Grandma Dee, Grandpa Jattell and Great Grandpa Ezra.
How would the story have changed if Mama was not the narrator?
I believe if Mama was not the narrator then Maaggie would be. I believe her side of the story would be much more negative. I thinks he would describe her feelings towards Dee and tell what her heritage means to her. I also think that she was describe what happened to the house when it was burning down. Then how her being burned has effected her life and how the scars has have also scared a hug part of her life.
Explore the final scenes in the story and discuss how the narrator changes at the end.
The narrator for once had taken the side of Maggie. All of Maggies life she has always felt that everyones looked down upon her and the answer for everything was always "no." Mama had finally taken up for Maggie and did not give Wangero what she wanted. She said for once in her life she hugged Maggie and took away the quilts from Wangero and gave them back to Maggie. She had finally stood up for both her and Maggie and showed that they are satisfied with what they have and they enjoy living the way God intended them to and their being faithful to their heritage.
Well-done!
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