Alice Walker Heritage

Kintul Jordan
English Comp 1
Ms. Tate
19 November 2012
Forgetting the Real Meaning of Heritage: An Analysis of Dee and the
Search for Her African Roots
Alice Walker, the youngest of eight children, was born on February 9, 1944, in Eatonton, Georgia. Like many of Walker’s characters in her stories, she was the daughter of a farmer who barely scratched out a living for his family. At age eight, Walker’s brother accidently shot her in the eye with a BB gun. Her partial blindness prevented her from participating in normal childhood activities; instead, she began writing poetry to ease her loneliness. She found that when writing, one must have peace and quiet, but it was not easy when ten people lived in four rooms. She spent most of her time outdoors, sitting under a tree, and writing. Every story she has written relates to her life in some form or fashion, but the story that relates to her the most is the short story “Everyday Use.” This story shows Walker’s definition of heritage and the importance of understanding the history and people behind the family’s heirlooms. Dee denies her true…show more content…
She misplaces the value of her true heritage in a desire for what she believes is her historical heritage. Dee’s true heritage is quite clear in the description Mama gives at the beginning of the story. Mama tells us how she can kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man (394). Instead of Dee realizing that she cannot forget her past, she is still lost and unsure of her true and original self.

Eshbaught,Ruth. The True Inheritance. A Literary Analysis Of Alice Walker Short Story “Everyday Use”. Web. 31 Aug. 2008. Print. Hoel, Helga.,Musere, Jonathan., White David "Personal Names and Heritage: Alice Walker's 'Everyday Use'." 2000. Trondheim Cathedral School, Trondheim, Norway. Web.30 Jan. 2000. Print. Walker, Alice. “Every Use”. 40 Short Stories: A Portable Anthology. Boston: Bedford, 2013.