Alice Walker’s short story “Everyday Use” (1973) presents a poignant exploration of heritage, identity, and the differing ways in which African Americans, particularly women, connect with their past in the post-Civil Rights era. The narrative centers on the Johnson family, highlighting the chasm between Dee, the educated and culturally assimilated daughter, and her mother and younger sister, Maggie, who remain deeply rooted in the traditions and lived experiences of their rural Southern upbringing. Through their contrasting perspectives on a collection of handmade quilts, Walker masterfully illustrates how true heritage is not merely about possession or display but about lived understanding and practical continuation.
The story is narrated by Mama, a physically imposing woman who expresses a deep sense of inadequacy regarding her own intellect and appearance, especially when compared to her more outwardly polished daughter, Dee. Mama yearns for Dee’s approval, a desire that is amplified by Dee’s return home after a long absence, accompanied by her new, educated boyfriend, Hakim-a-barber. Dee, who has recently changed her name to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo, arrives with an agenda: to collect artifacts from her family’s past. She views the handmade quilts not as utilitarian objects imbued with the labor and love of her grandmother and great-aunt, but as artistic curiosities, suitable for framing and display. This desire immediately clashes with Mama’s and Maggie’s understanding of the quilts. For them, these are not mere decorations but functional heirlooms, testaments to generations of resourceful women who pieced them together from scraps of clothing, remnants of their lives.
Maggie, shy and physically scarred from a childhood house fire, embodies a quiet reverence for the past. She is the one who remembers the stories behind the patterns, the specific garments from which the scraps were cut – a dress worn by her aunt at a church picnic, a shirt belonging to her father. Her connection is deeply personal and internalized, a natural extension of her upbringing. Conversely, Dee’s approach is characterized by a performative, intellectualized appreciation. She sees the quilts as symbols of a heritage she feels disconnected from in her everyday life, a heritage she now wants to reclaim and present to the world, albeit in a way that feels superficial to Mama and Maggie. Her adoption of a new name and her interest in Islamic and African culture, while potentially genuine, are presented through Mama’s eyes as a form of discarding her authentic self for a more fashionable identity.
The climax of the story occurs when Dee attempts to take two precious quilts. Mama, witnessing Dee’s dismissive attitude towards Maggie’s knowledge of the quilts and her intention to hang them on the wall, experiences a profound shift. In a moment of decisive action, Mama intervenes, physically preventing Dee from taking the quilts. She tells Dee, “No, Dee. We have decided to use them. This is their memory, too. Don’t you think the quilt is a way of remembering them?” Mama’s assertion marks a significant turning point, asserting that true remembrance lies not in passive admiration or academic study, but in the continued use and appreciation of the objects and traditions that bind them to their ancestors. She then entrusts the quilts to Maggie, recognizing that Maggie possesses the deeper, more authentic connection. The story concludes with Mama and Maggie sitting on the porch, a quiet moment of shared understanding and continuity, while Dee’s car drives away, leaving behind a lingering sense of separation.
Walker uses the contrasting personalities of Dee and Maggie, as well as Mama’s evolving perspective, to explore the complexities of cultural identity. Dee’s desire to commodify and display her heritage highlights the dangers of cultural appropriation and the superficial engagement with history. In contrast, Maggie’s quiet, ingrained respect for the quilts, and Mama’s eventual affirmation of this respect, underscore the idea that authentic connection to one’s past is woven into the fabric of daily life and lived experience. "Everyday Use" ultimately champions a form of heritage that is dynamic, functional, and passed down through practical, loving engagement rather than detached intellectualism.