Meaning Of Heritage In Everyday Use By Alice Walker

In the short story titled “Everyday Use” written by Alice Walker, the author revolves the story theme on the meaning of heritage. One of the main characters’ characterization changes throughout the plot. The way Maggie behaves is different at the exposition, climax, and resolution of the story. In “Everyday Use”, Maggie is a young woman whose interactions changes along with the lot. She demonstrates in different ways how she’s starting to accept more herself and those surrounding her. Walker introduces Maggie as a character who feels ashamed of her body because of the scars she has on both her legs and arms. The low self-esteem causes Maggie to show this concept through her actions, like the way she walks or stands. According to Walker’s story, the narrator describes Maggie’s actions as the following, “[…] perhaps a dog run over by some careless person rich enough to own a car, sidle up to someone who is

There’s a feeling of envy and shame. During Dee’s absence, Maggie is always trying to keep herself calm until Dee’s arrival. And there’s this feeling of always having the need to compare herself with her. In the story, Walker states the following about Maggie, “She thinks her sister has held life always in the palm of one hand, that "no" is a word the world never learned to say to her.” (Walker, 345.) In this case, a thought coming from Maggie herself is being described. She thinks of Dee as the sibling who has been always spoiled by her mother. The sibling whose mother is proud of her, but Maggie can’t get think the same of her. This means that Maggie’s envy towards Dee shows that a sister-relationship doesn’t exist between them. The other influential factor is her mother, for always comparing Maggie with Dee. A nonhealthy mindset starts developing on Maggie meaning that every time she looks at herself she’ll always compare herself with