Everyday Use by Alice Walker

1. Write five adjectives that you would use to describe Dee. Then write five adjectives to describe the narrator and five to describe Maggie.

Dee: Stubborn, prideful, fortunate, educated, selfish
Maggie: Humble, shy, obedient, loyal, scared

2. What is the significance of the title "Everyday Use"?

I think that the title "Everyday Use" suggests the difference in attitude between people who kept their traditions and culture, and people who have left it. In the story, the narrator and Maggie treat the old quilts as just quilts, something to be used everyday. This shows that the quilt, which symbolizes their tradition and culture, are still part of their everyday lives. However, Dee sees the quilts as a memory of the traditional life she used to have. Although both Maggie and Dee came from the same culture and family, the way they look at their own culture is so different.

3. What do you think is the purpose of Dee's visit with her mother and sister? Explain.

I think the reason for Dee's visit was to collect items from her past culture and tradition. This can be evidently seen when Dee's first action was to take a picture of the narrator, Maggie, a cow, and the old house which she despises. Dee was also very persistent in trying to take the old quilts which her grandma stitched. However, Dee also changed her traditional name into a very foreign one; which suggests that Dee is only collecting items out of a minor interest of her origin.

4. What do you think the narrator realizes about herself during her argument with Dee over the quilts?

I think the narrator realizes that she hasn't be too fair as a mother. The narrator has always given in to Dee's requests, and throughout the story, the narrator constantly remarks the little details that will displease Dee. At the very first line, it is shown that the narrator and Dee cleaned and yard just for Dee. However, in the end, when the narrator looks at Maggie and realizes much Maggie has stayed with the narrator all these years, and that she hasn't abandoned their traditions. Because of this realization, the narrator begins to appreciate Maggie as well.

5. How does cultural heritage play a part in the interactions between Dee and her family?

Dee comes to visit to rediscover her cultural heritage. However, she only treats it as the past, not the present, as if Maggie and the narrator no longer play an important part in her present life. Therefore, their interactions are limited.