Warning: Use of undefined constant referer - assumed 'referer' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 102

Warning: Use of undefined constant host - assumed 'host' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 105

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 106

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 109
Alice Walker's Everyday Use - Term Papers

Alice Walker's Everyday Use

A Witty but Dysfunctional Family

Literary fiction is a term used to describe stories that hold literary merit. For a story to be considered a literary fiction, the work must be “serious”. These works are often complex, face dilemmas and have an unhappy ending. In the short story “Everyday Use”, by Alice Walker there were many issues that occurred that labeled the story as a Literary Fiction. The story discusses the conflicts and struggles of an African American family, and briefly discusses a Man vs. Self conflict with the three characters. The understanding and lesson inferred w can vary with each reader. Although the story is based on a witty and dysfunctional family, it is a work one ...

Want to read the rest of this paper?
Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay
and over 50,000 other term papers

been like this, chin to chest, eyes on the ground, feet in shuffle, ever since the fire that burned the other house to the ground,” (Walker 166). Maggie’s horrifying past, not only caused conflicts within herself but family struggles, as well as conflicts.
A dysfunctional family is one that endures controversy regularly and,throughout the story there were many conflicts between the three main characters that proved the family a “dysfunctional one”. The family experiences this when Mama’s eldest daughter Dee (Wangero) goes to visit her sister and mother. As the story continues, and Dee is still present, dysfunction and jealousy become evident, as shown in the quote, “Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts…she will probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use,” (Walker 173). This comment made by Dee shows that she believes she will be more suitable to take on the responsibility of taking care of their grandmothers quilts, rather than her younger sister Maggie. As the ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays.
Write better papers. Get better grades.

Already a member? Login

CITE THIS PAGE:

APA
MLA
Chicago
Turabian

Alice Walker's Everyday Use. (2013, March 13). Retrieved January 10, 2026, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Alice-Walkers-Everyday-Use/102405

"Alice Walker's Everyday Use." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 13 Mar. 2013. Web. 10 Jan. 2026. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Alice-Walkers-Everyday-Use/102405>

"Alice Walker's Everyday Use." Essayworld.com. March 13, 2013. Accessed January 10, 2026. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Alice-Walkers-Everyday-Use/102405.

JOIN NOW

Join today and get instant access to this and 50,000+ other essays

PAPER DETAILS

Added: 3/13/2013 09:16:28 PM
Submitted By: kaeshae08
Category: English
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 852
Pages: 4

Save |

Report

SHARE THIS PAPER

SAVED ESSAYS

Save and find your favorite essays easier