The Point of View in Everyday Use

            The point of view in a story is defined as the role the narrator plays in the events, as well as any limits placed on his or her own knowledge of the events (Kennedy 29). It is the main perspective of the story, and it is crucial for character development. Point of view also allows one to tell his or her story most effectively. .
             In the short story "Everyday Use," a first-person narrative is used. The mother in "Everyday Use" tells the story and tries to explain to the reader the great differences between her two daughters, Dee and Maggie. She also talks about her own ability to handle how the times are changing. Author Alice Walker makes it clear to the reader about the growing popularity of black culture in the late sixties or early seventies. The two sisters in the story, Dee and Maggie, represent both spectrums of black society of the age: Dee represents the new age of being black, while sister Maggie remains in the past, sticking with a life of simplicity and tradition. When we read the story from Momma's point of view, it makes us conscious of how she feels about herself and how she feels about Dee and Maggie. .
             Momma has a certain attitude about her own appearance as well as her nature, and this is conveyed through the first-person narrative in the story. "In real life I am a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands" (70). The reader feels that Momma is a proud woman who considers her imperfections as assets that help her work efficiently. "My fat keeps me hot in zero weather" (70). It is evident how Momma grew up: Women were built for hard labor in hard times. The beginning of the story brings Momma and Maggie into focus, particularly what they look like. Momma says of Maggie, "She will stand hopelessly in corners, homely and shamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs" (69). The readers instantly identify who Momma truly is as a person, and we understand that life is not supposed to be easy: "She thinks her sister has held life in the palm of one hand, that 'no' is a word the world never learned to say to her" (69).