Jeff Hilton
Dr. Hogsette
WRIT 151
April 6, 2006
Everyday Use and the Emergence of the Black Female Identity
Thesis: In her story “Everyday Use” and her essay “In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens” Alice
Walker explores the strength black women gain from remaining in their family and cultural
heritages.
I. Introduction

Introduce the theme of black women and the importance of family and cultural heritage.

Briefly discuss the characters and the importance of them in “Everyday Use.”

Introduce the parallel essay “In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens.”

Give thesis
II. “Everyday Use”

Maybe use sentence(s) from introduction rewarded to illustrate the point of the Black
Female Identity in “Everyday Use.”

Talk about how black culture was having difficulties discovering who they were,
transitioning from past to present.
o Mama

Proud Black Women.

Wants what is best for her youngest child.

Although it is never spoken or said, she feels that her Oldest Child, Dee,
has fallen out of touch with her heritage. (Character change explained in
later paragraphs).

Represents the old heritage.
o Dee

Went to college and get swept up in the pan-African movement.
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
Attempted to manipulate Mama in order to obtain blankets to show off her
“Heritage.”

Put something in to contradict Dee being proud of her heritage but is just
milking it.


Describe how Dee acts in to prove her not being proud of her
heritage.

Compare and contrast the two in order to prove statement above.
Represents the 1950~60’s movement and how Blacks are trying to reidentify themselves as well as trying to separate from their “Mama”
heritages.
III. “In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens”

Asks the question of how Black Heritage survived through the slavery era.

Answer with the quilts in “Everyday Use.”
o Quilts

Illustrating the heritage of the southern black family.

Helped keep alive the social creativity of the black southerner.

Show the importance of how the quilts in all of Alice Walker’s stories
keep the individuality of each of her female characters.
o Use other examples from the essay to further answer the question above.
IV. Conclusion

Briefly summarize main point of “In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens.”

Summarize what I learn about the story by discussing it in relation to this essay.

State what I think is important about this story for readers today.
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Annotated Bibliography
Christian, Barbara. "The Contrary Women of Alice Walker." The Black Scholar 12.2 (1982):
21-30, 70-1.
This article discussed many of Alice Walkers works, “Everyday Use,” “The Child Who
Favored Daughter,” and other stories in her book, In Love and Trouble. It will be used in
my paragraph discussing the character “Mama” to help prove how she is in touch with
her culture and heritage.
---. “Everyday Use.” New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1994.
This book is a collection of essays that reflect upon Alice Walker’s work. I used the
introduction to get some ideas for a working thesis statement as well as the short essay
“In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens” to further support that thesis.
Cowart, David. "Heritage and Deracination in Walker's 'Everyday Use.'" Studies in Short
Fiction 33.2 (1996): 171-84.
The essay primarily provided one view on the short story “Everyday Use.” It discusses
the main characters Dee and Mama and how they have changed since they last met. It
will be used in my discussion of the two characters, and I will refer to it to provide one
side of the argument for my in-depth discussion about Dee.
Farrell, Susan. "Fight vs. Flight: A Re-Evaluation of Dee in Alice Walker's 'Everyday Use.'"
Studies in Short Fiction 35. 2 (1998): 179-86.
This essay talks about “Everyday Use” but primarily re-evaluates Dee from a different
perspective. Instead of judging Dee for what seems to be a selfish and manipulative child,
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Farrell tries to give her credit for what she claims to be pride in her heritage. This article
will be used as the other argument to show that she is indeed proud of her heritage.
Piedmont-Marton, Elisabeth. “An Overview of ‘Everyday Use.’” Short Stories for Students.
New York: Gale Research, 1997.
This article pretty much summarized Alice Walker’s short story, “Everyday Use.” Its
primary focus, besides the summary, was to discuss how the quilts seemed to have an
effect on maintaining black heritage. It will be used in my essay primarily in the section
discussing quilts and black heritage.