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Valuing Heritage: Exploring Black Feminism in Everyday Use

Explore the contrast between black nationalism and black feminism through Alice Walker’s 1973 story 'Everyday Use'. Analyze perspectives on cultural value and identity, symbolized by quilts, in the context of women's rights and African-American heritage. Delve into the complex relationships within the Johnson family, reflecting traditional versus progressive attitudes. Examine language use, symbolism, and irony in depicting themes of heritage, authenticity, and transformation. Discover how Walker critiques societal norms through a retrospective first-person narrative.

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Valuing Heritage: Exploring Black Feminism in Everyday Use

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  1. “Everyday Use” Alice Walker

  2. HistoricalBackground • Written in 1973 • Black Nationalism/ Black Pride • Ideas encouraged African-Americans to learn about their African ancestry • emphasized cultural, political, and economic independence for African Americans • Discriminated against women • Alice Walker was against this movement

  3. Black Feminism • Women’s Rights • Movement was started by white suburban females • African-American women felt excluded • Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Gloria Naylor represented this movement

  4. What makes something VALUABLE? • The word value means different things to different people. • For example, an old vase might have high monetary value or high sentimental value. • To some, it might have great historical, cultural, or artistic value. • But others might think it’s a useless piece of junk.

  5. What makes something VALUABLE? • QUICKWRITE • If you could save only one precious possession of yours from being destroyed or left behind, what would you save? • Write a short paragraph identifying the item and telling why it is valuable to you.

  6. Point of View/Strategy/Purpose • 1st person – Retrospective • Retro = back / spec = looking • Ms. Johnson is uneducated, but uses sophisticated diction to explain her narrative • Expresses mixed emotions about her two daughters, Dee and Maggie • Strategy • Narrative • Comparison/Contrast • Purpose • To express/explore the traditional vs. progressive attitudes of young African-American females.

  7. Symbolism and the Quilts ancestry • Quilts contained pieces of the clothes Maggie and Dee’s grandparents wore. • Presents a snapshot of the life of the Johnson heritage. life struggle

  8. Symbolism and the Quilts • Dee • Perceives the quilt as an ornate item/artifact of her culture • Wants to hang the quilts • Maggie • Perceives the quilt as both a product and a process (quilt making is process) upon which her way of life is dependent • Quilts should be put to “everyday use” rather than hung on a wall. • Scarred body resembles the faded patches of the quilts.

  9. Language of Ms. Johnson • 2nd grade education • Can be described as simple to complex • Uses simple sentence constructions and words to express complex perceptions and feelings

  10. Contrasts • Maggie • Shy, devoted, awkward, sweet-natured, domesticated • Dee • Outspoken, stylish, attractive, “educated”, free spirited • Attitudes • Traditional vs. progressive

  11. Dee’s Name • Named after her Grandma • Regards “Dee” as a slave name • Denies her authentic heritage by changing her name

  12. Irony/Taking Pictures of House • House • Hated her house, but wanted to show friends pictures of her house • The Quilts • Refused them when her mother tried to offer them to her; now she wants to display/show them off.

  13. Title of the Story • Quilts should be put to everyday use – not hung. • Quilting symbolizes the process out of which the unimportant and meaningless may be transformed into something that is valued and useful.

  14. Vocabulary • Figure out the meaning of each boldfaced vocabulary word from the context. Sample answers appear in brackets. In your Reader/Writer Notebook, write a sentence that shows your understanding of each word. • 1. sneaky, furtivebehavior [secretive] • 2. need time to recomposeafter your outburst [become calm again] • 3. accept the club’s doctrine [set of rules] • 4. remember your heritagewhen you leave home [family traditions] • doctrine • furtive • heritage • recompose

  15. Homework • “Everyday Use” was published ten years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Explain how the story reflects the themes of “I Have a Dream” In other words, how is Walker commenting on the aftermaths of this movement?

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