Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Heirlooms

 

            Throughout history, society is constantly changing. Within societies, cultures will also begin to change. These differences are mainly visible among the generations within a culture. Alice Walkers "Everyday Use" is a story that shows how these changes affect a family living in two different worlds. It is about a mom and her daughter Maggie's experience with another daughter who has moved away and come to visit. The mom and Maggie live in a small, rural house and have a simple lifestyle. The other daughter, Dee, has gone off to college and experienced society's changes firsthand. The meeting is awkward between them because of the confusion these changes have caused. Dee has become something that she understands as right and mother and Maggie are the way they are because they see their lives as right. Changes in society cause cultural confusion among the generations. .
             During a period when change was surrounding society, many people tried to get back to their roots. One example of this was during the human rights revolution; more specifically with African-Americans. Some started to change their name to one that resembles their African heritage. It was a liberating experience to those who wanted to get rid of their "slave given names" and reclaim the African names. This could easily be taken different ways among generations in a culture. In "Everyday Use", when Dee comes to visit she informs her mother that her name is no longer Dee, but Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo. According to Dee, she is representing her heritage by changing her name. She feels that she is closer to her ancestors this way. The mom and Maggie see the name change differently. To them, the name is representative of her heritage; her families heritage. It is easy to see how there can be two different views concerning the change. .
             Another point of confusion is how different generations seem to appreciate things differently.


Essays Related to Heirlooms