33 pages • 1 hour read
Alice WalkerA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
“Everyday Use” is first and foremost a story about two different understandings of what it means to be African-American. Although all four of the story’s characters define themselves in terms of their heritage and history, it quickly becomes clear that there is a split when it comes to deciding which aspects of that history to emphasize and embrace. The story thus unfolds as a kind of debate between the ideas embodied by Maggie and Mrs. Johnson on the one hand, and Dee and Hakim-a-barber on the other.
Although Walker does not explicitly say so, it seems clear that Dee and Hakim-a-barber’s views have been shaped by the Black Power movement—in particular, by its rejection of Western culture as intertwined with racial oppression. In their search for a more authentic ethnic or racial identity, many members of this movement turned to traditional African cultures, just as Hakim-a-barber converts to Islam and Dee adopts the name “Wangero” and a more African style of dress. Notably, “Everyday Use” doesn’t entirely write off this impulse to turn to Africa in the search for ethnic identity and pride; although initially taken aback by her daughter’s appearance, Mrs.
By Alice Walker
By the Light of My Father's Smile
Alice Walker
In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens
Alice Walker
Meridian
Alice Walker
Possessing the Secret of Joy
Alice Walker
Roselily
Alice Walker
Strong Horse Tea
Alice Walker
The Color Purple
Alice Walker
The Flowers
Alice Walker
The Temple of My Familiar
Alice Walker
The Third Life of Grange Copeland
Alice Walker
The Way Forward is with a Broken Heart
Alice Walker
To Hell with Dying
Alice Walker
Women
Alice Walker