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Rhetorical Devices Used In Everyday Use

670 Words3 Pages

There are many things that we associate ourselves with, or that we like having. A lot of us like clothes. A lot of clothes. A variety of clothes that we can wear to match however we are feeling. Oftentimes, the fabrics we wear or possess mean something to us, whether they are from someone special or passed down through generations. Fabrics are the point of the story “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, in which Dee (Wangero) attempts to persuade her mother that she, and not her sister Maggie, should have the quilts made by her grandmother, aunt, and mother. Two strategies Wangero uses for persuasion are repetition and diction to convince her mother that the quilts Grandma Dee had stitched should belong to Wangero, and not Maggie. These strategies …show more content…

In Paragraphs 7 and 9, Walker says “Imagine!” This is done to express that Wangero is imagining the process it took to create such delicate embroidery, and in turn, is expressing appreciation for the quilts. This tactic can persuade her mother that she is the right one to have the quilts, as she is truly taking them in and appreciating the process of quilt making. She also says “These quilts, these quilts” (Walker 16). This repetition emphasizes the point that Wangero is trying to make; these quilts should be her’s, not Maggie’s. All this repetition has this aim, and further, reveals the ideals of socioeconomic status. The connotations of her trying to see her heritage and feel it are different from the ideals of her mother; using the quilts for everyday …show more content…

The ways Wangero fails to show why this is effective. In the story, the mother decides to give Maggie the quilts anyways (Walker 22). This is done for many reasons, but the main one is the difference in their status. From the descriptions we get of them earlier in the chapter, we can infer that Wangero is more of a white-collar type of person, and her mother is a blue-collar, working-class woman. We also see that Maggie is aligned with her mother’s status. This plays a huge role in the making of her decision. Also, we can infer that Maggie is always last and hasn’t gotten anything special. These reveal Walker’s message that the difference between socioeconomic status holds a different view and

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Through Dee, Walker critiques the modern trend of superficial appropriation of cultural symbols without deeper knowledge or understanding. Dee only values the quilts for their aesthetic beauty and the cultural stereotype they represent, disregarding their historic value and sentimental connection to her family. In contrast, Mama and Maggie understand the quilts' worth lies not in their surface appearance but their emotional meaning and historic significance. The quilts are passed down from one generation to the next as a way of maintaining their family history and culture. Walker uses

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Each piece of fabric represents the life and struggles of Mama’s ancestors. The quilt is a piece of history passed down from generation to generation, which embodies long lasting memories and legacy. Wangero asked, “Can I have these old quilts” (1193). Mama was not happy about the request and suggested other quilts.

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