Characterization and Meaning by “Everyday Use”

Characterization and Meaning by “Everyday Use” Characterization is an important element in almost every work of fiction, whether it is a short story, a novel, or anywhere in between. When it comes to characterization, a writer has two options: direct characterization and indirect characterization. Direct characterization is a writing technique in which an author tells the reader directly what a character is like, instead of showing or revealing details about the character in other ways. Indirect characterization is when the writer reveals information ab out a character and his personality through that character?s thoughts, words, and action, along with how other characters respond to that character, including what they think and say about her. “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker is a story that talks about a p oor, black mother and her two daughters Dee and Maggie with two quilts. When Dee arrives to a college in the north, she changes her name, adopted the ideas of the Black Power movement and criticizes her family for the way they “still live”. The culminating point of the story is the moment when mama refuses to give Dee two quilts because they were already meant to be a wedding present for Maggie. Mama considers Maggie?s practical approach to heritage better than Dee, whom wears it in a superficial way and has an impersonal concept of heritage. Dee was successful and beautiful, but she is an arrogant type of woman, while Maggie was simple-minded, disfigured and slow. The quilts centralize the theme of the story which represents the concept of heritage and confliction of preserving cultural heritage through directly describe Mama is a conservative and practical woman; the two quilts has historical value by Dee, and indirectly describe attaches importance to the heritage of Maggie. Mama?s take of conservative a nd practical notion to heritage, illustrates the traditional black woman during her time. The story directly shows readers Mama does not have a good education in the 20th century, and she is optimistic even though her life was poor and hard; therefore, her concept of culture was conservative. For example, “I never had an education myself. After second grade the school was closed down. Don't ask me why: in 1927 colored asked fewer questions than they do now” (110). Therefore, she did not get any formal knowl edge and she has a traditional idea to keep the quilts. In the climax of the story, Dee wants to get the quilts. In Mama?s opinion, she thinks Maggie is better than Dee to get the two quilts, saying “When I looked at her like that something hit me in the t op of my head and ran down to the soles of my feet. Just like when I'm in church and the spirit of God touches me and I get happy and shout” (115). Due to she was conscious of she promised to give Maggie as her dowry. This time, she doesn?t meet the demand of Dee. At last, she even get angry with Dee, she could not understand why Dee was so greedy and vain. “I did something I never done before: hugged Maggie to me, then dragged her on into the room, snatched the quilts out of Miss Wangero's hands and dumped them into Maggie's lap. Maggie just sat there on my bed with her mouth open. “Take one or two of the others,” I said to Dee” (115). As a mother, she should fair to her two daughters, even Dee has a good education and proud of Dee. The story focuses on the indirect characterization of Maggie?s word and action to explain her character of a simple, humble and person trust attaches importance to heritage. God is unfair to her, she has an excellent, beautiful sister, but she is ugly, clumsy and diffident that she always unconfident to anything. Fortunately, she learned the skill how to quilt by herself, saying, “It was Grandma Dee and Big Dee who taught her how to quilt herself. She stood there with her scarred hands hidden in the folds of her skirt. She looked at her sister with something like fear but she wasn't mad at her. This was Maggie's portion. This was the way she knew God to work” (115). She lives in her sister?s shadow for a long time. She even never to strive for her deserves things. Maggie doesn?t say “no” when Dee says that she wants to take the quilts. For example, ““she can have them, Mama,” she said, like somebody used to never winning anything, or having anything reserved for her. “I can ?member Grandma Dee without the quilts”” (115). These two q uilts not only an everyday use, but also is the culture of heritage by Maggie. In conclusion, Maggie standing for one kind of people in that society who still adhere to the past practices and they will inherit the tradition from generation to generation. The story used direct description to talk about Dee is a good educated and have nice appearance character, but she also is a vain lady that she just superficially think two quilts have historical value from her grandma. She knows the quilts had been pieced by Grandma Dee and both of them were scraps of dresses Grandma Dee had worn fifty and more years ago. Moreover, one teeny faded blue piece that was from Great Grandpa Ezra's uniform that he wore in the Civil War. For example, ““Some of the pieces, like tho se lavender ones, come from old clothes her mother handed down to her,” I said, moving up to touch the quilts. Dee (Wangero) moved back just enough so that I couldn't reach the quilts. They already belonged to her” (114). Consequently, she doesn't let anyt hing get in the way of getting what she wants. In addition, such as “…But they're priceless!? she was saying now, furiously; for she has a temper. “Maggie would put them on the bed and in five years they'd be in rags. Less than that!”” (115). For Dee, thes e two quilts like “priceless” and she want to hang them to show off the heritage. From the narrator explain, Dee is a tragic character, she is an ambivalent syntheses. Superficially, she own fashionable clothes and valuable jewelry, it seems that she has got the life what she has been pursuing for a long time. Actually, she couldn?t get the sense of belonging and sense of security in the big city, so she wants to take the quilts to meet her vanity. Mama and Maggie are almost the same on the concept of heritage. Mama think heritage belong to practicality and Maggie memories about the heritage. However, Dee is instructed from Augusta, but she was superficial to the notion of heritage. Therefore, show the reader the concept of heritage and confliction of preserving cultural heritage from the story. Moreover, direct characterization leaves less to the reader's imagination. It keeps the narrative short and increases its pace. Writers also use direct characterization to give some information about a character's personality and later use indirect methods to reveal more about the character.