Question

What is the meaning of Everyday Use by Alice Walker

Answer 1

In “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker tells a story of a mother's conflicted relationship with her two daughters. On its surface, “Everyday Use” tells how a mother gradually rejects the superficial values of her older, successful daughter in favor of the practical values of her younger, less fortunate daughter.

Short Answer:

It is a story about the relationship between the author and the authors daughter. The meaning of it is to show the audience that not all people are fortunate.

Answer 2

In this story, we encounter three women: Mama and her daughters Dee and Maggie.

The two daughters are very different from each other. Maggie is a simple girl who likes simple things. She is happy with a domestic, relaxed life. On the other hand, Dee is more ambitious. She wants to educate herself, travel the world and learn more about herself and her culture. The two sisters clash over a quilt that they both want to keep.

The title "everyday use" refers to the quilt, and thus to the conflict that exists between the two sisters. While Maggie believes that the quilt should be used as an everyday item, Dee thinks that it should be preserved as an item of cultural importance. This shows how the sisters think differently about their culture and the role that they play within it.