Everyday Use by Alice Walker - Book Report/Review Example

Your Lecturers of An Analysis of Everyday Use by Alice Walker from Diverse Literary Views Everyday Use is a narration by an elderly African-American woman who lived in the rural south of the United States (Tate 309). In the narration, the woman describes the life of her two daughters prior to their re-union in her rural home after being apart for some time. One of her daughters was an educated and independent minded individual whilst the other was a fairly unattractive rural dweller who had lived with the narrator all her life. This paper examines the literary components of the story and discusses the plot, characters and context within which it is written. It draws on critical views and opinions of literary analysts who have reviewed the book. In an overview of the whole story, Tate states that “Everyday use provides a strong narration about the evolution of the African-American society during the civil rights movements between the 1950s and 1970s” (309). This assertion is very true because the narration describes an African-American family divided into two social systems by the transition of Black people in America. One side of the family was living in the same cultural context that their ancestors had lived within for centuries whilst another had gotten the benefit of urban life and had encountered the civil rights movement and the need to build some African-American pride. The Rural Setting Maggies lifestyle shows that she lacks confidence. When her sister visits, “...she will stand in the corner until she goes” (Walker 56). This means that she was timid and lacked self confidence. Her nature and traits as a relatively unattractive person who is accustomed to the trends in rural life made her a very localized individual steeped in the traditions of the rural south. The narrator, Grandmama however had a vision of seeing her other daughter, Dee make it to the highest levels in the city. She even dreamt that Dee will make it to the point that she will “embrace her on television” (Walker 57). According to Whitsitt, “every African-American mother in rural America wished that her children in the city will get the best in what they do and propel them to fame” (447). However, the narrator, Grandmama saw herself as a big woman with rough hands (Walker 57). This shows that she was accustomed to the old and traditional methods of life that her ancestors had lived in the south since the days of slavery. She was not in anyway “... courting the idea of losing weight and had the permanent traits of a woman who lived like the rural folks a hundred years earlier” (Kiszner & Mandell 81). Grandmama had a strained relation with White people and she was very localized and steeped in the traditions of her own people. The narration of Grandmama and Maggie showed that the family was accustomed to the rural lifestyle of the African-American people. Grandmama and Maggie were living in a context that had been preserved for several generations. Grandmamas lifestyle was somewhat normal for her because “... in 1927 [when she grew up] coloreds could ask few questions” (Walker 59). This means that she was a victim of an era where Blacks had very little rights and had to accept her fate with no questions. Maggie on the other hand grew up in a generation where the lives of African-Americans were under a transformation. However, her traits prevented her from encountering the changes in her race. “Like good looks and money, quickness passed her [Maggie] by.” (Walker 59). This shows that Maggies unattractiveness, lack of money and lack of intelligence caused her to remain in the rural setting to pursue the lifestyle of her ancestors which was connected to basic agricultural jobs. Dee on the other hand appears to have been a little more vocal whilst she was growing up in the rural setting. “Dee wanted nice things.... At sixteen she had a style of her own: and knew what style was” (Walker 59). This means that Dee had a mind that made her repulse and reject the rural life from her teenage years. Unlike Maggie, Dee “was lighter than Maggie, with nicer hair and a fuller figure” (Walker 58). She was clearly more attractive and was more intelligent and had an independent mindset. She therefore moved on into the city whilst Maggie and Grandmama remained in the rural area. After some time apart, Dee returns to her Grandmama and Maggie in their rural home and the expectations and conflict of all the parties set the stage for the climax of the story. The Visit Upon Dees return home, Grandmama is hit by some shocking changes and unexpected traits she had adopted in the city. It also appears that Grandmama does not seem to view city dwellers in a high esteem. She describes the lady Jimmy T married as “a cheap city girl from a family of ignorant, flashy people” (Walker 60). This shows that she looks down on city dwellers and treat them with some degree of contempt. On arrival, Grandmama notices that Dee is dating Hakim-a-barber. Her first impressions of him were not very complementary. “Hair is all over his head a foot long and hanging from his chin like a kinky mule tail” (Walker 60). This begins a long chain of not so friendly views and remarks about Hakim-a-barber. Maggie is also unable to return the kind of friendly gesture that Hakim-a-barber attempts to show her by grabbing her hand. His kisses on Grandmamas forehead and holding the hand of Maggie is treated with so much disdain by Grandmama. Dee and Hakim-a-barber begin to show that they had adopted the defiant and seemingly rebellious attitude of African-American youth of that generation (Koppelman 229). First of all, Dee tells her mother that she has changed her name to an African name, Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo. This was in defiance to the name given by her parents which runs up several generations in the familys genealogy. This shows clearly that Dee attempts to break the cycle of names that are connected to the oppressive days of slavery. Dee and Hakim-a-barber begin to use some African words in their everyday conversations. They use words from Uganda and adopt some Islamic greetings that are at odds with the Christian dominated systems and structures that Grandmama and Maggie had known. Hakim-a-barber announces that he has adopted some aspects of Islam and refused to eat pork. Grandmama equates the Islamic beliefs to a group of Muslim herdsmen that she connection to cattle rearing and nothing more. This shows that Grandmama had little understand and appreciation for the new customs and practices that Dee and Hakim-a-barber had adopted (Koppelman 230). On the other hand, Dee and Hakim-a-barber were growing in the heights of the civil rights movement. This movement of the 1950s, 60s and 70s encouraged African-Americans to demand their rights and celebrate their uniqueness (Early 119). This had seeped strongly into the lives of Dee and Hakim-a-berber and they were now focused on breaking down the old systems to replace it with a new distinct African culture. The Quilt Dee moves on to demand that the familys quilt to be given to her for a decoration. Her understanding of a good use for the quilt is to present it as some kind of a relic that could be displayed to show the distinct cultural heritage of her people. Grandmama also viewed the quilt as some kind of treasure, but she believed it would be better for her to hand it down to her descendants who will keep it as some kind of sacred family treasure for the family only (Koppelman 230). Dee however thought it would be much better to use it to depict the distinct Black culture that the civil rights had thought her. To Grandmama, the quilts were to be used for the purpose that her ancestors made them only. Dee on the other hand thinks that using it in that manner is a waste and could lead to nothing but a misuse of an item with a rich history surrounding it. To Dee, the best everyday use that the quilt could be put to is to hang it as a decoration. On the other hand, Grandmama sees it as no more than a bedding. Whitsitt (445) states that the central theme of Everyday use is to show how African-American women reacted and viewed the transition that the civil rights movement brought. “Quilting can still be taken as a womans activity, which makes use of a womans material; it can yet be deemed a womans social, economic and political activity which produces an object of beauty, which moreover does not define the domain of the art...” (Whittsitt 445). At the end of the whole debate, Grandmama decides to give the quilt to Maggie. Hirsch states that it depicts “the mothers generous protection of the ugly and needy daughter” (214). Conclusion Everyday use shows how the social structures of African-American communities changed during the civil rights period of American history. The three characters depict African-American women with different views and opinions in this era. Grandmama retains her traditional views whilst Maggie maintains a conservative view of a young person in the era who is not in exposed to the changes in the African-American community. Dee and Hakim-a-barber seem to have been strongly influenced by the changes of the civil rights movements. The differences are expressed in how all three parties view the most appropriate everyday use of a quilt that had been in their family for generations. Whilst Grandmama sees it as some form of treasured bedding to be handed down to ones favored child, Dee sees is as a strong symbol of their African-American heritage. Maggie remains passive about it and does not really seem to disagree with Dee although she broke a glass and slummed the door when Dee suggested using the quilt as a decoration (Walker 64). Works Cited Early Gerald. “A History of Afro-American Literature: The Beginning” in South Central Review Vol 9. No. 1. Spring 1992. Journal. Hirsch Marianne. “Mothers & Daughters” Signs. Vol. 17 No 1. Autumn 1981. Journal. Kiszner Laurie & Mandell Stephen. Fiction: Reading, Reacting & Writing. Paulineras Press. 1994. Print. Koppelman Susan. Between Mothers & Daughters: Stories Across Generations. Feminist Press CUNY. 1985. Print. Tate Claudia. “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker by Barbara T. Christina” African American Review Vol 30 No 2. Summer 1996. Journal. Walker, Alice. "Everyday Use: From your Grandmama." In Love & Trouble: Stories of Black Women. Harcourt Inc. 1973. Print. Whitsitt Sam. “In Spite of it All: A Reading of Alice Walkers “Everyday Use” African American Review. Vol. 34. No 3. 2000. 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