Analysis of the Short Story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker Article Review by Nicky

Analysis of the Short Story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker
A review and an analysis of the short story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker.
# 146477 | 1,228 words | 3 sources | MLA | 2010 | US
Published on Dec 29, 2010 in Ethnic Studies (North American) , Literature (American) , Religion and Theology (Christianity) , African-American Studies (General)


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Description:

In this review of Alice Walker's short story "Everyday Use" the paper's author attempts to analyze the story whilst singling out elements such as the author's voice (tone, style, irony), point of view, characters, theme and symbolism. The paper's writer discusses the use of the term "everyday" and suggests that its use refers to those elements in our lives that have real meaning. The author also attempts to show how those elements present in the story function within the story as a whole.

From the Paper:

"Then, even more invigorated by her newly-found sense of her African-American identity and her perceived connection to the familial past she never had any interest in before, Dee states that she desires the blankets to hang on the wall as objects of art, despite the fact that they were promised to her sister Maggie, who has remained home to learn traditional skills, is promised to marry a farmer, and has cared for the sisters' mother while Dee was away at school, learning about her 'real' heritage. Dee demands the blankets as her birthright, by virtue of her force of will and cerebral understanding, just as she demanded so many things, including the education that gives her the vocabulary to sneer at her mother. Regarding Maggie, Dee says:
"She'd probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use."

Sample of Sources Used:

  • Baker, Lyman. "Everyday Use." October 3, 1999. Kansas State. February 8, 2009. http://www.k-state.edu/english/baker/english251/sg-Walker-EU.htm
  • Hogel, Helga. "Alice Walker's Everyday Use." Reprinted from Short Story Criticism. Ed. Jelena Krstovic. Vol. 97. Detroit: Gale, 2007. February 8, 2009.http://home.online.no/~helhoel/walker.htm
  • Walker, Alice. "Everyday Use." University of Virginia. February 8, 2009. http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug97/quilt/walker.html

Cite this Article Review:

APA Format

Analysis of the Short Story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker (2010, December 29) Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/article-review/analysis-of-the-short-story-everyday-use-by-alice-walker-146477/

MLA Format

"Analysis of the Short Story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker" 29 December 2010. Web. 22 March. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/article-review/analysis-of-the-short-story-everyday-use-by-alice-walker-146477/>

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