Analyzing “Everyday Use”
The story “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker has been source of inspiration for many people. It is story based on an interesting topic that would make anyone attracted to its content. The story is interesting on how it succeeds in bringing out lessons such as true inheritance. This paper will aim at evaluating the literal techniques that Alice has used to bring meaning into this story. For proper understanding of the “Everyday Use” story, it is significant to conduct an analysis on elements of theme, characterization, and symbolism.
In the story, Alice Walker sides with a theme of the representation of the harmony and the conflicts and struggles within African-American culture. The story focuses on the encounter between rural Johnson family’s members. The encounter occurs when Dee, who is the only member from the family able to receive formal education and her male friend return to visit Dee’s mother is a significant interpretation of what African-American culture entails. The author has succeeded in bringing up arguments that are supportive to specific culture while they are not so significant in the other culture. The author succeeds in evaluating the take for different people on the significance of families in both the African and American culture. Culture of given people can also be analyzed on the history of their, which is evident in the short story.
Characterization is the other element that the writer uses to make the story attractive and meaningful to readers. This is observable in the beginning of the story where Mrs. Johnson, who is Dee’s mother and the narrator of the story, has been characterized. As she waits for Dee, she explains “in the yard that Maggie and I made so clean and wavy” (Walker 88). The word “so” is the emphasis on the physical attributes of the yard. This is also useful in showing the attachment that exists between Mrs. Johnson and Maggie to their home. Also, Maggie has been characterized as unattractive and shy. The scars that she bears on her body have scarred her soul, which makes her retire and frightened of what her life entails.
Symbolism is the other element evident in the story. The symbols used in the story are useful in defining the culture of the people. For example, Dee’s male companion takes a Muslim name and refuses to eat pork, as well as collard greens, thus rejects participation in the traditional African-American culture. Mrs. Johnson is described to have “man working hands” and can “kill a hog as mercilessly as a man” (Walker 72). This is supposed to represent a rough life, with great confidence on work. Also, symbolism may be found in Maggie’s skin. The scars on her skin are literal representation of the ruthless journey of life that she had experienced. Also, symbolism is observable in the story on the basis of the quilts that Mrs. Johnson promises to give Maggie on her wedding are extremely symbolic, which represents traditions and cultural heritage of Johnson.
The story “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker is proper representation of use of literal elements such as characterization, theme, and symbolism. Through these elements the author has been able to explain the elements of African-American culture. All characters in the story have had unique and reliable roles, which have portrayed their representation on the African-American culture. The theme of the African-American is accurate center of analysis for the story. Also, different objects have been used to represent people and explain the cultural practices of the characters. Literal evidence is unique in the definition of the meaning of a story.
Work Cited
Walker, Alice. “Everyday Use.” Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 8th ed. New York: Longman, 2002. 88-95.
