Heritage and Symbolism in Alice Walker’s Everyday Use

“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker creates a conflict between characters. When Dee (Wangero) comes home to visit Mama and Maggie, right away the readers see the differences. Dee has changed her name to an “African” name and is collecting the objects of her past. She is more educated and very much looks down on the simplicity of her mother and sister. When Dee asks for a beautiful family heirloom quilt to hang on her wall, Mama finally denies her something. Instead, Mama will give Maggie the quilt to keep her and her husband warm. The theme of the importance of heritage becomes clear. This theme is shown by Walker’s use of conflict, irony, and symbol.

The chief conflict is between Mama, Maggie and Dee. Dee arrives home to photograph her dirt-poor beginnings never stopping to think how Maggie and Mama feel. The butter churn to Dee is an object of art; to Mama it is a way to live and make butter. Dee has always been pampered and spoiled by her Mama, who has been afraid to stand up to her. She does not understand how her mother and Maggie can continue to live in such a backwards way. By giving the quilt to Maggie, Mama shows that she understands the importance of heritage. To appreciate and use objects passed on in families is completely different than to hang them on display while they are popular and worth money, then throw them away. Dee has become educated and much too sophisticated for her humble beginnings.

Alice Walker shows the importance of heritage through her extensive use of irony. For example, Dee changes her name to Wangero to reflect the new fad of “getting in touch with African heritage.” However, the name Dee already has comes from her heritage. As Mama says, “You know as well as me you was named after your aunt Dicie. Dicie is my sister. She named you Dee.” (Walker ) Dee has the education to understand the history of her people, but the irony is that she is missing the people standing right in front of her. She just doesn’t get it that Mama and Maggie are the most important parts of her heritage. This is at least a little ironic. Even Hakim-a-barber has converted to Islam but chooses only to accept certain doctrines of this religion and the black power movement when he refuses to eat collard greens and pork. As he says, “I accept some of their doctrines, but farming and raising cattle is not my style.” (Walker ) The irony is that it may not be the “style” of Mama and Maggie either; it is their way of life and livelihood. They would never even think about this in terms of style.

Finally, the theme is shown in the symbolism used. This story not only contains symbolism but is about symbolism itself. The quilts are the chief symbols, and they stand for the ties of heritage/family. What would Dee do with the quilts? “‘Hang them,’ she said. As if that was the only thing you could do with them” (Walker ) Dee says that Maggie cannot understand her heritage and cannot appreciate these quilts, but she does when she “can ‘member Grandma Dee with the quilts.” (Walker ) Magnanimously, Maggie agrees that Dee can have them so as not to start a conflict. She says, “I can ‘member Grandma Dee without the quilts.” (Walker ) Maggie is appreciating her heritage every time she uses them, with heritage meaning the people she came from. Dee thinks that connecting with a person’s roots is a new thing. The Aunt Dee was named after made these quilts by hand, and yet, that has nothing to do with the reason why she wants them. In addition, Dee thinks her name is a symbol of those who oppressed her, so she comes up with a new name that has nothing to do with her family ties.

Obviously the theme of the importance of heritage is shown in Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use.” While Maggie and Mama may be uneducated and “backwards,” they do understand the meaning of family heritage. Dee has all the education and sophistication of the world, and she just plain “doesn’t get it. The reader wonders whether Dee personifies a part of Alice Walker herself.