Everyday Use For Your Grandmamma By Alice Walker

Everyday Use For Your Grandmamma By Alice Walker Daniel English 72

l Review the story l Analyze the main character (Dee) l A short introduction about the quilt in the story

General information l"Everyday Use" was first published in 1973 as part of Walker's short story collection, In Love and Trouble. l. The story is told in first person point of view. (The narrator of the story is Mama)

Plot A black woman living in the Deep south with one of her two daughters. The story illustrates the differences between Mrs Johnson and her shy younger daughter Maggie and her educated, successful daughter Dee

Plot l. The story concerns a rare visit Dee pays to her mother and sister. Start with Preparation made by Mama and Maggie to receive Dee Then Dee and her boyfriend’s arrival Climax Dee wanted the everyday use Conclusion Mother and Maggie felt relieved to see Dee leave

About the Author Walker, Alice (1944) l. American author and poet l. Her writing portrays the lives of poor, oppressed African American women in the early 1900 s.

Characters Mama --- protector of the African-American traditional culture Dee--- betrayer of the African-American traditional culture Maggie --- successor of the African-American traditional culture

Mama (Ms. Johnson) “In real life I am a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands. ” l The narrator of the story. la middle-aged or older African. American, strong and independent, and takes great pride in her way of life. l. She is over weight, and built more like a man than a woman.

Maggie “She has been like this, chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle, ever since the fire that burned the other house to the ground. “ The younger daughter that stays with mama, while Dee is in school. Though being described by her mother as unintelligent and unattractive, Maggie is also a very innocent, and humble character.

Dee Appearance: • • “Dee is lighter than Maggie, with nicer hair and a fuller figure. ” “Her (Dee’s) feet were always neat-looking. ” Personality: • “She(Maggie) thinks her sister has held life always in the palm of one hand, that "no" is a word the world never learned to say to her” • “Dee wanted nice things. ”

Attitude towards their culture l. House l. Clothes l. Name l. Everyday use

House When their house burned • “And Dee. I see her standing off under the sweet gum tree she used to dig gum out of; a look of concentration on her face as she watched the last dingy gray board of the house fall in toward the redhot brick chimney. ” • “She wrote me once that no matter where we ‘choose’ to live, she will manage to come see us. But she will never bring her friends. ”

This time • She brought her boy friend. • “She stoops down quickly and lines up picture after picture of me sitting there in front of the house … She never takes a shot without making sure the house is included. ”

Clothes “A dress down to the ground, in this hot weather. A dress so loud it hurts my eyes. …Earrings gold, too, and hanging down to her shoulders. Bracelets dangling and making noises when she moves her arm up to shake the folds of the dress out of her armpits. ”

Name • Her changed her name to “Wangero Leewanika kemanjo” • “I couldn't bear it any longer, being named after the people who oppress me. "

Everyday use “Churn top” , “dasher”, “Old quilt” • "These old things was just done by me and Big Dee from some tops your grandma pieced before she died. " • "These are all pieces of dresses Grandma used to wear. She did all this stitching by hand. ”

Quilt

Amish quilts reflections of the Amish way of life Because the Amish people believe in not being "flashy" or "worldly" in dress and lifestyle, their quilts reflect this religious philosophy. Chinese Version 百纳被 中国传统社会的「百纳被」也具有与拼布相同的意义 中国早期农业社会，物资缺乏，当家中有小孩过满月 时，亲朋好友都会送来一片手掌大的布，由小孩的母 亲将这些零碎布头缝缀起来，然后给小孩做成衣服或 被子。

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