Everyday Use by Alice Walker

These are some instructions have selected to do the short story by Alice Walker ‘Everyday Use’

3. Do some brainstorming, freewriting, or some other type of pre-writing technique to get ideas about what you want to write about based on the explanations below. Also, this is a good time to start your research to see what information is out there that you find interesting. Then, you can begin the writing process.

One of the issues students have is that they try to start writing from the first line, and that is not very effective. Get a working thesis going. A working thesis, as it sounds, is a general idea of what you think you want to talk about, but it can change as you write more and as you do more research.
Then, you want to start building your paragraphs.
Don’t try to write your introduction and conclusion or come up with a title until you have written your body paragraphs and refined your thesis.
Do not be afraid to revise. Revision is what makes for a strong paper.
4. Open a new Word document to write your assignment. The document should be in proper MLA format, and you need to include the word count at the end of the response.

5. Write a thesis statement that includes the following: The title of the short story in quotes, the author’s name, and the overall theme you will explore in the essay.

6. Choose three elements of fiction from the M1: Lecture Note #2 – Elements of Fiction Part One, excluding “Subject” and “Theme.” They will be a separate part of this assignment.

+600 words, include references citation is APA

Sample Solution

Thesis Statement: In Alice Walker’s short story, “Everyday Use”, the author explores a range of themes including classism, tradition and heritage through the use of characterization, irony and symbolism.

Characterization is used to explore the theme of classism throughout the story. Mama Johnson and Dee (Wangero) represent two different classes in terms of their economic status as well as their values. Mama Johnson is portrayed as an honest woman who works hard for her money while Dee is characterized as someone that has been spoiled by material possessions. Their values are also shown to be very different; while Mama Johnson places value on family heirlooms and traditions, Dee sees them only as objects with little or no sentimental value. This contrast between characterizations serves to emphasize the divide between classes in America during this time period.

Irony is also utilized to further demonstrate Walker’s exploration into themes such as classism and heritage in “Everyday Use”. For example, when Dee asks for her quilts which were intended for everyday use, it contrasts her own idea of what everyday use entails compared to what was originally intended by the creator (Mama). This ironic twist reinforces that although both characters may come from similar backgrounds and have similar roots in heritage they still view it from vastly different perspectives based on how they were raised and their current circumstances.

Finally symbolism is used within “Everyday Use” to explore many underlying meanings concerning not just class but also tradition and heritage. These symbols include Mama’s butter churn which represents hard work being rewarded with success despite hardships; Maggie’s scar which symbolizes her struggle with life; The quilt itself stands for history being passed down generation-to-generation demonstrating continuity regardless of circumstance or social standing; And finally there are some smaller symbolic representations like names being important elements related to understanding customs too – i.e., Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo changing hers after discovering its meaning instead opting out for a more modern choice –Dee instead–overlooking all other aspects associated with having ancestral surnames even if she might not understand them at first glance . All these symbols help Walker create a complex web exploring all aspects related with cultural heritage connecting it ultimately back again towards family ties above anything else implying great importance placed upon where one comes from rather than solely defining ourselves through material items we possess or even our current social standing..

Overall Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” uses characterization, irony, and symbolism explore various themes such as classism, tradition & heritage — all providing insight into how culture can shape us far beyond just our economic status while showing us how important it is to cherish where we come from no matter how difficult things may become.

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