Everyday Use

Everyday Use   by Alissa Gray - Saturday, September 8, 2012, 09:20 PM

In "Everyday Use," Alice Walker asks us to consider the definition of tradition.  Is tradition defined by speaking and doing, yes of course the tradition can be brought down by many ways speaking and doing is one of the many. There are ways to preserve tradition and how to pass it down both daughters portrayed it in a different ways. I feel like Dee’s way of looking at tradition was like the way the villages especially the elders looked at the lottery tradition, kind of ignorant. Wikipedia defines,” A tradition as a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past.”  The story's title, “ Everyday Use” helped me define tradition throughout this short story because the quilts were passed down from generation to generation for everyday use and not to keep in a glass frame untouched away from use at all. That is the theme and point of this wholesome story.I like how it was obivious why the quilts belonged with Maggie and how traditional Maggie and her mother were in compariosn to Dee who was educated and tradition in her roots not with her family. The way that Maggie and mama always got stuck.using these antique treasures when someone else would have it around the house for looks, like Dee would do.  And the same went for the quilts because its traditional for everyday use. The story narrated by the mother because in my opinion on why it was narrated by the mother was that it was narrated by the mother to give the reader a outlook on the mothers unconditional love for her daughters and the way that she looks at him and her purse at her perspective on the whole situation on traditions it is her that is passing down the traditions your daughter so it would make sense if she would tell than her two daughters would.   Re: Everyday Use by Andrew Shooshtari - Saturday, September 8, 2012, 09:25 PM I agree with you that the daughters both had different ideas about how tradition was interpreted. Complete opposites, if you ask me. Dee felt that observing the quilt was the best way to uphold tradition whereas Maggie would put the tradition to everyday use and use the quilts for their intended purposes. I had a hard time following the last paragraph but I agree with your statement that Maggie was a bit ignorant as to the true value and meaning of a tradition. Re: Everyday Use by Susan Espinoza - Saturday, September 8, 2012, 10:04 PM im confused whats the theme of the story? everyday use passed down through generations? I think the theme in the story is dichotomy. Re: Everyday Use by Jivan Muradian - Saturday, September 8, 2012, 10:11 PM I also found that the daughters had a completely different view on how the heirlooms should be used in order to honor, and remember, their grandmother. However, I feel as though there isn't always a right way to use an item that's been passed down for so long. It's not as important as to how the item is upheld, but rather the memory attached to the item itself. Re: Everyday Use by Jacob Johnson - Saturday, September 8, 2012, 11:59 PM I agree that the daughters viewed tradition in entirely different ways. Where Maggie may not have an education her viewpoint was more logical and realistic. She would have used the objects for everyday use. Dee on the other hand would have taken the heirlooms and placed them for museum pieces in her home to show off. She would not know how to put them to use or how to hand make a quilt like Maggie. Its true their mother did show her unconditional love despite their differences. Good analysis.