Honor without sincerity in any circumstance is evident in the behavior and choices that are made by the individual who claims to have admiration and value. In the story “Everyday Use” by well-known African American author Alice Walker; evidence of insincere honor is displayed by one of the characters of the story. Dee, one of the sister’s in the story shows the lack of honor through her skewed sense of pride in the family heritage she has run from. The purpose of the following essay provides evidence of honoring one’s origin with sincerity as being more important than preservation of origin through hypocrisy.
One of the first aspects of Walker’s story that delivers evidence in connections of each character to their humble life is in the opening paragraph. “A yard like this is more comfortable than most people know. It is not just a yard. It is like an extended living room”(para.1). In the beginning of the story Mama and Maggie are awaiting the arrival of Dee; Mama’s other daughter, who is coming to visit them with her boyfriend. Dee has left the simple life that Mama and Maggie continue to embrace for a different life. Dee has never shown a liking for her heritage of the basic country life that is a part of her family heritage. In the earlier years, Mama recalls Dee’s indifference and disdain for her surroundings as their first home burned down. “Why don’t you dance around the ashes? I’d wanted to ask her. She had hated that house that much?” (para.10). Dee never felt a genuine connection to her surroundings and continues to portray that in her current behavior and choices.
Dee’s interest in her origin and heritage remains in the objectification of it. It is not with sincerity that she is honoring her family’s history. A perfect scenario that portrays Dee’s sentiment occurs upon Dee’s arrival in a conversation with Mama.
‘Well,’ I say. ‘Dee.’
‘Not ‘Dee’, Wangero Leewanika Kimanjo!’
‘What happened to ‘Dee’?’ I wanted to know.
‘She’s dead,’ Wangero said.
‘I couldn’t bear it any longer being named after the people who oppress me’ (Para.24-27).
Dee’s idea of her true self is insincere and aiming to connect with an identity that she has never lived, instead of accepting the life that her family has actually experienced. According to a critical analysis article written by Niwar A. Obaid (2013), “Additionally, Dee's decision to change her name, not knowing how to quilt, and failure to be interested in the actual people who made these artifacts are all representative of Dee's lack of desire to carry on her family's heritage (Robins Elizabeth, 2010)”.
As the story continues, Dee continuously points out items in Mama’s home that she admires and ultimately intends to claim. Mama, Maggie, Dee and her boyfriend or husband ‘Hakim-a-barber’ sit down to have a meal and Dee begins her mission to request items that she wants from Mama’s home. “I never knew how lovely these benches are. You can feel the rump prints.”(para.46). These benches that they sit on were made by Dee’s father only because they were too poor to afford chairs and handmade benches were the only option. Dee has always been the type of individual who would be ashamed by or look down upon something like the idea of being too poor to afford chairs, yet she is suddenly admiring the benches. Dee continues pointing out items in the home that she is asking Mama to keep and take home. Mama agrees on the most part, but seems to find Dee’s interest odd.
In the final scenes of the story Dee helps herself to a trunk full of quilts in Mama’s room. She makes the bold move of declaring that two of the heirloom quilts made by her Grandma Dee are items she wishes to keep. That is when Mama finally becomes aggravated and tells Dee that those quilts are promised to Maggie after she marries. “‘Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts!’ she said. ‘She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use!’”(para.66). Dee’s sentiment towards the family heirloom items is confirmed in that moment. The critical analysis article by Obaid (2013) perfectly dissects the situation, “To Dee, heritage is the past, something to frame or hang on the wall as decoration, a mere artistic reminder of her family history (Les, 2011)”. Mama does not want the quilts to become artwork because she is living the authentic life that is true to their heritage and Maggie is also. The sincerity of Maggie’s manner of life is more honorable to the origin of their heritage than Dee’s decision to preserve and display it as a work of art, without feeling the same pride and appreciation of the actual life that the members of her family have lived.
In concluding the following essay about the message that the truest expression of honor is when there is sincerity in one’s position. In the case of “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, the differences between Mamas’ two daughter’s Dee and Maggie provides evidence of what insincerity looks like. The one who shows true honor is the one who is most deserving and sincere in their sentiment.
Works Cited
Obaid, Niwar A. "Literary Analysis of Everyday Use by Alice Walker." (2013). Web. 28 Apr.
2015.<https://www.academia.edu/6063238/Literary_Analysis_of_Everyday_Use_by_
Alice_Walker>.
Walker, Alice. Everyday Use. 1944. Print.
