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A Mother's Love in Everyday Use

            No matter how well you choose to raise your children you will never be certain of the outcome. Alice Walker writes "Everyday Use " she reveal the new found life of Mama eldest daughter Dee who ends up living more of a lavish lifestyle in a well develop area where as Maggie and Mama continues to live their simple life on the farm. In "Everyday Use " Alice Walker portrays favoritism that occurs between the two sisters by their mother and the conflicts that arise from it. Alice Walker inserts symbols to characterize the personalities of the characters. .
             In "Everyday Use,"" the author illustrates the significance of the yard and how it personalizes Mama's character. In Mama's eyes the yard meant more to her than just a physical yard. The yard itself symbolizes a sense of unity that brings the family together. Mama's attitude towards the yard shows how appreciative she has become to grown up on the yard with her family. The yard brings forth a comfort zone where Mama feels at peace and a part of something. "A yard like this is more comfortable than most people know. It is not just a yard. It is like an extended living room " (Walker 810). Mama compares the yard to a living room to express the togetherness she loves. By expressing how she feels it represent Mama as a family orientated person. The yard also molds Mama to characterize her traditions and beliefs, in which she passes the knowledge to her two daughters. Mama treats the yard with value, the same way she would treat her living room. "When the hard clay is swept clean as a floor " (Walker 810). Mama symbolizes the clay, as the floor figure of the living room that needs to be kept clean. The fact that Mama treats the yard with respect shows that she values the yard and respects it by doing so she treat it with care. This describes Mama as someone who takes care of her things especially those that have symbolic meaning towards it. Throughout the story the author use the quilt to express Mama personality.


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