Everyday Use by Alice Walker Essay Example for Free

Everyday Use by Alice handcart EssayEveryday Use by Alice walker takes into account a central conflict between two women. This conflict is symbolized by two main characters Mrs. Johnson and Dee. Both have certain characteristics atomic number 18 corresponding but mostly Alice juxtaposes these characters with each other to bring out the main theme of the play. Dee is an epitome of change materialism and an adherent of prevailing concept of hereditary pattern where heritage is revered only for trendiness and aesthetic attraction whereas Mrs. Johnson admires heritage for its practical utility and personal importance. Both Mrs. Johnson and Dee are from the same socio-cultural backgrounds but both are brought up in different cultural milieu. Both admire heritage but their motives are different. Mrs Johnson is In real life I am a large, big- boned woman with rough, man-working hands (273) whereas Dee is soft-skinned and of delicate nature. Piedmont-Mortob is of the view that cent ral conflict is between Maggie and Dee and is approximately whether heritage costs in things or in spirit, or process. Dees longing for heritage is for ostentatious reasons.For example she says, I can use the chute top as a centerpiece for the alcove tableand Ill think of something artistic to do with the dasher. (277) Contemporary periodical necessities make her cherish and celebrate her Afro-American heritage. Dee views her heritage as an artifact which she can possess and treasure from a distance instead of as a process in which she is always intimately involved. (Piedmont-Marton) But Mrs. Johnson and Maggie have learnt to live with their heritage.Dee is captivated by the cup of tea of churn top and wanted to have it to be used as centerpiece for her alcove table whereas Mrs. Johnson has used it practically for churn butter hitherto. Walker utilizes the butter churn to demonstrate Mrs. Johnsons intrinsic understanding of heritage. When Dee finished wrapping the dasher the h andle stuck out. I took it for a moment in my hands. You didnt so far have to look close to see where hands pushing the dasher up and down to make butter had left a kind of sink in the wood.In fact, there were a lot of small sinks you could see where thumbs and fingers had sunk into the wood. It was a beautiful light yellow wood, from a tree that grew in the molarity where Big Dee and Stash had lived. (277) About quilts Dee says Maggie cant appreciate these quilts Shed probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use (278) that shows her shallow reason to love her heritage. Mrs. Johnson says, I am the way my daughter would want me to be. (273) This is manifestation of her adoption to the changing circumstances.Same is the case with Dee as her pretensions about her culture are directly related to the changing social environment where heritage is celebrated and is not understood. The development of Dee into Wangero shows various facets and phases through which black identity operator passed during late 1960s and 1970s. Predilection for appearance as compared with spirit remained hallmark of this era and this trend is manifested through Dees transformation into Wangero. Dees upstart name, her costume, and her new boyfriend (or husband) are all indicative of her frivolous attitude toward her newly adopted African culture. (White)Above-mentioned arguments and supported evidence show that there exist similarities as well difference between the character of Mrs. Johnson and Dee. They love the same thing for different reason.Works citedPiedmont-Marton, Elisabeth. An Overview of Everyday Use. Short Stories for Students. Gale Research, 1997. Literature Resource Center. Thomson Gale. Valencia residential district College East Campus Lib. , Orlando. 18 Jan. 2002 https//www. linccweb. org/eresources. asp. White, David. Everyday Use Defining African-American Heritage. 2001. Anniinas Alice Walker Page. 19 Sept. 2002. Walker, Alice.