What is the main theme of everyday use Commonlit?

In her short story “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker takes up what is a recurrent theme in her work: the representation of the harmony as well as the conflicts and struggles within African-American culture. “Everyday Use” focuses on an encounter between members of the rural Johnson family.

What is the meaning of everyday use by Alice Walker?

In “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker argues that an African-American is both African and American, and to deny the American side of one’s heritage is disrespectful of one’s ancestors and, consequently, harmful to one’s self. She uses the principal characters of Mama, Dee (Wangero), and Maggie to clarify this theme.

What can you conclude about each character Maggie and Dee based on her feelings toward the quilts?

What can you conclude about each character (Maggie and Dee) based on her feelings toward the quilts? You can conclude that Maggie wants the quilts, but she is willing to give them up for acceptance of her sister. Dee is selfish in wanting the quilts that are intended for Maggie once she is to get married.

What prompts the narrator to refuse to give Dee the quilts?

PART A: What prompts the narrator to refuse to give Dee the quilts she wants? A. She knows that Dee doesn’t want the quilts to remember her grandmother.

What does Dee’s boyfriend Asalamalakim represent?

Dee’s boyfriend or, possibly, husband. Hakim-a-barber is a Black Muslim whom Mama humorously refers to as Asalamalakim, the Arab greeting he offers them, meaning “peace be with you.” An innocuous presence, he is a short and stocky, with waist-length hair and a long, bushy beard.

Why does Dee reject her cultural identity?

Angered by what she views as a history of oppression in her family, Dee has constructed a new heritage for herself and rejected her real heritage. She fails to see the family legacy of her given name and takes on a new name, Wangero, which she believes more accurately represents her African heritage.

Why are the quilts valuable to Dee?

What makes the quilts valuable to Dee, and what makes them valuable to Maggie? Dee calls the quilts priceless, as she recognizes it as her heritage. for Maggie, the quilts are valuable for everyday use. she appreciates that they are the work of grandma Dee and big Dee, who taught her to quilt.

What is the most significant trait Dee and Maggie have in common What is the most compelling difference?

The most significant thing they have in common is their shared familial and cultural heritage. Their most compelling difference is their outlook towards life.

Why does Dee change her name to Alice Walker’s Everyday Use?

Dee tells her mother that she has changed her name to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo to protest being named after the people who have oppressed her. Mama tells Dee that she was in fact named after her Aunt Dicie, who was named after Grandma Dee, who bore the name of her mother as well.

Why did Dee want the churn top and dasher?

Dee wants the churn top and dasher because… she needs them to churn butter.

Why did Dee change her name?

Dee informs her mother and sister that “Dee is dead” and she has adopted a new name, “Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo.” She explains that her previous name was a symbolic reminder of the oppression experienced by her people.

What is the main conflict between the mother and her daughter Dee?

This story focuses on two characters, mama and her daughter Dee (Wangero), who struggle to see the same way about their heritage. Dee wants the things made by her grandmother, to not admire it as an artifact, but rather to remake it. She wants to take them, and change them to match her lifestyle as it is today.