Family heritage plays a very important role in one’s life. One way families keep their heritage alive is through heirlooms. One example of an heirloom could be a quilt passed down from generation to generation. In the short stories, “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker and “The Keeping Quilt” by Patricia Polacco, quilts play an important part in their family heritage. The quilt in both stories is used to document their past and how far they have came.
In “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, the reader is able to clearly understand their heritage and the materials used to make the quilt. The quote, “... Great Grandpa Ezra’s uniform that he wore in the Civil War,” lets the reader know not only one of the materials in the quilt, but also helping the characters understand their past. The quote, “When the hard clay is swept clean as a floor and the fine sand around the edges line with…” lets the reader understand their lifestyle which apart of their heritage. It also shows how they embrace their heritage. Unlike Dee, who drifted away from heritage, Maggie and Mama embrace
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The quote, “ At my wedding, men and women danced together. In my bouquet were gold, bread, and salt – and a sprinkle of grape juice, so I would always know laughter.” informs the reader about their Russian heritage. Such as the things included in a bouquet, instead of just having flowers like we do. The quote, “The border of the quilt was made of Anna’s babushka.” lets the reader know one of the many materials included in the quilt to remember where they came from. Lastly the quotes, “The quilt was used as the tablecloth.” and “The quilt was a pretend cape when I was in the bullring, or sometimes a tent in the steaming Amazon jungle.” clearly tells the reader how Anna and her family utilized the quilt in various