Identity Unit: 3 (Walker)

"Everyday Use"
Alice Walker

In this story, the search for identity takes two forms.  One form is exhibited by Dee and consists of preservation of family legacy.  The other form is exhibited by Maggie and consists of preservation of current family ties.  The validity of both forms is determined by the characterizations of Dee and Maggie.

Walker describes Dee mainly through indirect characterization by describing her past and present actions.  Before the time frame of the story, Dee had often expressed her disapproval of the dingy conditions of her life.  She had even neglected to show sorrow for the burning of the house she despised.  Furthermore, she developed an insatiable desire for style.  She returned to her mother and Maggie as "Wangero" with a blindingly bright dress and a motive to retrieve her grandmother's quilts.  However, she did not wish to stave off the cold.  Instead, she planned to display her embrace of African American history and rejection of Anglo-Saxon oppression.  Dee's mother mentioned that, "She was determined to stare down any disaster in her efforts" (Walker).  Above all, Dee wished to display flashiness and escape signs of poverty.  Ironically, by planning to display rather than use her grandmother's quilts, Wangero embraced the flashiness of Anglo-Saxon society and rejected the practicality of African American society.

On the other hand, the last thing Maggie wishes to do is draw attention to herself.  When the house burned down, the flames left Maggie with several large scars that severely tainted her self image.  Throughout the entire story, she says very few words and clings to her mother.  In fact, Maggie was envious of the privilege Dee experienced throughout her whole life.  While Dee was off buying stylish dresses and sunglasses to accompany her new identity free of white oppression, Maggie was with her mother making the best of what her family had made.  Maggie, above all else, was dependent on her family.

In the end, Maggie's appreciation for the utility of what her family has given her triumphed over Wangero's desire to make a statement out of her family's history.