According to Daniels,, Dee's attitude about the quilts also shows confusion about the meaning of her heritage. She won't except the names of her ancestors, but she quickly values their thing that are hand made. Like the hand carved benches made for the table because the family could not afford to buy them. The benches, and quilts are strictly looked at as aesthetic objects to Dee. She doesn't stop to think that these things could represent oppression: Her family could not afford these things, so they had to make them. Dee's sudden interest in these objects seems to now reflect a cultural trend that values hand made objects, as opposed to any genuine interest in ones heritage. Plus when Dee was offered a quilt before going away to college, she didn't want it. She thought it was old fashioned.( Daniels 2) Dee didn't understand that understanding one heritage does not come from reading books about African culture, wearing an Afro, or wearing diseekis. True understandings of one culture is appreciating every physical and emotion aspect of what it is to be apart of that culture. In black culture, people often wear braids and Afros, little girls wear candy curls for ester Sunday, or most grandmothers are affectionately called " Big Mama". These are all cultural things. Doing this is fine, however, when one exploits his or her culture by trying to gain physical, or personal wealth, that in itself is a shame. Walker clearly makes a point by saying that one should not become too educated that he or she does not remember where they come form. Further more, appreciating your heritage does not means putting priceless heirlooms on display or making money of them, it is actually knowing their purpose, and putting them to everyday use. Pride in one culture comes from understand that it's okay to proceed with the" old way of life" as long as your happy with yourself. .
Hansberry uses symbols that aren't necessarily as physical, but more abstract.
