Everyday Use by Alice Walker

            Everyday Use is the story of a family’s experience of one daughter returning from being away. The story comes from the mind of a low class African American mother who faces difficulties with her social class, appearance, level of knowledge, and raising two daughters as a single mother. I liked the story because the characters were described in a way that made them seem non-generic and real, and the rural scene and lifestyle came to life by the mother’s imagery. The mother painted a picture of the type of woman she was clearly in my mind, and the struggle of how she was different from the ideal person her daughter Dee wished her to be was vivid. I thought the story was easy to follow, and I was able to feel the tension between Dee and her mom when Dee wanted to take the quilts for herself that had great significance to her younger sister Maggie, even though Dee only wanted them to hang and be art. I am not sure of a clear theme within the story, but I do think that the difference in peoples’ lifestyles and family played an important role in Everyday Use.