Literary Analysis Of Everyday Use By Alice Walker

Between lines: Perspective reading There are two ways to know a character in a story: one is the direct characterization, which a character or the narrator describes another character to the readers; two is the indirect characterization, which characters reveal their personality though their thoughts actions to the readers. In the story “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, describes preserving heritages, and passing it in generations to come. Mama cleans her new home to welcome Dee. Upon being greeted Dee now calls herself Wangero. Wangero goes inside the house and gathered an old churn and the quilt that was promised to be given to Maggie, when she is to be wed. Wangero wants the quilts adamantly that Maggie decides Wangero should have the quilt.

An example of this is when Wangero returned back home Mama greeted her calling her Dee but Dee replied that she isn’t Dee anymore. Dee now Wangero states to Mama the reason for the change. “‘She’s dead…I couldn’t bear it any longer, being named after people who oppress me’” (96). This statement may appeal to the readers as she hates her name and don’t care for the name Mama gave to her. Instead, Wangero’s reason goes far beyond than just a not keeping her name as a keepsake but tracing her roots and ancestors that was originally from Africa, and keeping their original name represents how Wangero appreciates her heritage before the slavery. Another example of this is after the argument of who should get the quilt. Wangero then leaves before saying to Mama “‘you just don’t understand…Your heritage’” (100). Which states of her deep understanding of her heritage, a heritage that has been diluted by years of inferiority while, Wangero realizes this and stands up and wears her heritage with pride and decorates herself as such. This shows Wangero’s views on heritage from learning her roots which gives her knowledge to understand the importance of her heritage and decorates herself in such manner as