Everyday Use 2

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way which an individual understands their present life in relation to the traditions of their people and culture. Dee tells her mother and Maggie that they do not understand their "heritage," because they plan to put "priceless" heirloom quilts to "everyday use" (Walker 78). The story makes clear that Dee is equally confused about the nature of her inheritance both from her immediate family and from the larger black tradition.
The matter of Dee's name provides a good example of this confusion. Evidently, Dee has chosen her new name ("Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo") to express solidarity with her African ancestors and to reject the oppression implied by the taking on of American names by black slaves. To her mother, the name "Dee" is symbolic of family unity; after all, she can trace it back to the time of the Civil War. To the mother, these names are significant because they belong to particular beloved individuals (Joy in a Common Setting 1).
Dee's confusion about the meaning of her ...

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lives, they admire Dee's fierce pride even as they feel the force of her scorn (Walker 75).
As Dee is rejected of the quilts, she storms out of the house without a word. As I read this, the question of why Dee only comes in order to get some of the family heirlooms and bring back with her Hakim-a-barber. Not only does she want the quilts, but she also wants Grandma Dee's butter dish and Uncle Buddy's churn. Dee does not come to see the house, Mama, or Maggie. When Dee leaves, she does not say good-bye, but exits without a word. This is another insult to her family. By leaving without saying anything she is reinforcing all her action proved earlier in the story.
It is ironic when Dee ...

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