everyday use

Everyday Use It seems as if the importance of family traditions and heirlooms has been passed down from generation to generation since the dawn of time. In many cultures, being named after a family member is not only the norm, but considered an honor. These heirlooms that are passed down represent a family’s ancestry and heritage. In Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use,” it is evident that Dee is equally confused about her family’s …

…Maggie intends to do. She also intends to continue to quilt in the same manner that her Grandmother taught her while she was still alive. The story ends with the mother being “passionately moved by Maggie’s genuine kinship with tradition, [she] declares allegiance” (Watkins 403). The decision by Mrs. Johnson to snatch the quilt out of Dee’s hands allows their heritage to continue, and not just be stuck in a frame and forgotten about.