"Everyday Use" -- Alice Walker

1. The term "everyday use," comes from the line in the short story where Dee, the arrogant and confused daughter states that her sister Maggie whould be backwards enough to put the "priceless" quilts from thier grandmother to everyday use. I feel that Walker chose this as the title of the story to engage the audience to go deeper into the meaning of the short story and decide for themselves what is the best way to honor ones heritage, whether is be by perserving it and displaying it, or by putting it to everyday use.

2. Dee, Magie and Mama all define heritage differently. Dee doesnt quite understand it and becomes ironically "lost" and ripped away from her roots by her education. All of the African clothing and new name that she gives herself are meaningless because she has no true knowledge about Africa, so her true heritage is actually empty and lost, she is reluctant to accept her real past, and where she comes from. Maggie views things in the same manner of Mama's persepective. She might be slower and softsppoken, but she understands the true meaning of her heritage by living in the same old ways of her ancestors. I believe that by the way that Walker portrays Dee, which is arrogant and lost, she wants her readers to agree with Maggie's and Mama's point of view of their heritage.

3.The irony about Dee changing her name to "Wangero," her new "unassimilated" name is that she fails to realize that her real name, Dee, has more meaning, heritage and depth that she can imagine. The name Dee traces back in generations so far back in her family that even her own mother cant recall how far back the name had been carried since.

4.If Mama was not the narrator, the story wouldnt have changed much only if Dee was the narrator not so much if Maggie was the narrator. If the case was that Maggie was the narrator, there would be a drastic change in the tone of the story and would be much more passive, but still Mama's view of the defenition of their heritage would remain the same. If Dee were to be the narrator, the story would end on a cold note that education and books are the proper way to honor ones heritage and to forget your old ways.