everyday use

In short stories, authors can explain a character to us very easily by creating a contrasting character, known in the literary world as a foil. In her 1973 work, “Everyday Use”, Alice Walker gives us the character of Maggie to contrast with the more important reader-emotion rising Dee. Throughout the story, the two sisters are constantly compared, mainly for their attitude towards heritage, which is the main issue at hand. Maggie and Dee are also contrasted with their general physical appearance, which is quickly made known in the opening of the story.

In the time that this story was written, America was experiencing an African American heritage uprising. During this time, black and proud was the general thinking of those in that particular cultural group. The author uses this to her writing advantage to create a character that has recently taken a strong interest in her African-American heritage. Her character, originally Dee, now wishes to be known as Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo, because she did not want to be named similarly to any member of the Caucasian people who had enslaved her ancestors. (68). Wangero also has a counterpart, a friend who i