Final answer:
In "Everyday Use," the quilts represent African-American heritage and the tension between practical use and symbolic value. Dee views them as cultural artifacts while Mama prefers they serve their functional purpose with Maggie, who appreciates their personal history.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Alice Walker's "Everyday Use," the quilts represent a myriad of concepts, particularly the complexities of African-American heritage, the varying perspectives on culture and tradition, and the dichotomy between practical and symbolic uses of family heirlooms. From one angle, quilts are a practical living tradition for Mama and Maggie, symbolizing their connection to their ancestors and a practical aspect of daily life. On the other hand, for Dee, the quilts are a symbol of cultural and aesthetic expression to be preserved and admired rather than used.
The story presents a conflict between the characters' understanding of their heritage, with Dee adopting a more superficial approach to her African roots by changing her name and taking Polaroids, while Mama and Maggie embody a lived experience. This tension culminates in the debate over the quilts, where Dee wants them as cultural artifacts, contrary to Mama's belief that they should continue to serve their functional purpose in the hands of Maggie, who appreciates their practical value and the personal history they carry.
Overall, the quilts in "Everyday Use" signify the struggle to reconcile modern identity with cultural history, highlighting the different ways people within a family can perceive their legacy. The quilts serve as a key narrative device that Walker uses to explore these themes, making them central to understanding the characters and their relationships to their past and each other.