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Everyday Use By Alice Walker Analysis

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Upon reading the piece Everyday Use by Alice Walker my initial reaction was that cultural appropriation of her culture/heritage is what motivated her to write this story. Throughout the story, it is clearly evident that Maggie and Dee (Wangero) are two polar opposites. Maggie is reserved and self-conscious about her body, for she was burned in a fire. When describing Maggie, Mama compares her walk to a dog that has been run over and says, "She has been like this, chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle, ever since the fire that burned the other house to the ground" (Walker 316). Clearly, Maggie is not one who is confident in her own skin. On the other hand, Dee, "… is lighter than Maggie, with nicer hair and a fuller figure" (Walker 316). In addition, Dee was educated whereas Maggie and Mama were not. For that reason, Dee views herself as superior to her family members. …show more content…

In addition, she takes the dasher so that she can do, "… something artistic..." with it. When Mama took the wrapped-up dasher in her hands she examined it, and noticed, "… where the thumbs and fingers had sunk into the wood" (Walker 320). For Mama, it was an important piece of history and a sentimental symbol of the hard work her family had put in to make butter throughout the years. Whereas, for Dee it was somewhat of an artifact of the past. Dee's treatment of her family members, and treatment of objects that are a symbol of her family's traditions and culture is what lead me to believe that the cultural appropriation Walker witnessed throughout her life is what motivated her to write this

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The family leads a hard working, simple and minimalistic life that allows them just enough to get by. Mama is described as a “large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands” (Walker 418). Her day to day life doesn’t allow for the high standards of her eldest daughter Dee. Dee is described by Mama as being unappreciative and bratty. Mama makes is clear that the family’s socioeconomic status would never be good enough for the eldest daughter.

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