Beginning of Essay
The family characters in Alice Walker’s " Everyday Use " illustrates the mistake by some people of placing the significance of heritage solely in material objects. Mama and Maggie, are presented as how heritage is passed on from one generation to another throug ....

Middle of Essay
.... uses the hand made items in her life, experiences the life of her ancestors, and learns the history of both. Contrasting with mama and Maggie, Dee seeks her heritage without understanding the heritage itself. Unlike Mama who is rough and man-like, and Maggie who is shy and scared, Dee is confident, " determined to stare down any disaster in her efforts" (73) she is beautiful and dresses eloquently. Also she has a higher education having being sent " to school in Augusta " (73). She attempts to connect with her heritage by taking pictures of the house with the family in the picture. She also takes some of the handmade items of her mother’s such as ....