Everyday Use is a story written by Alice Walker. It is a story of a mother who gets a visit from one of her daughters. The story takes place during the 1960's.
The story begins with the mother and one of her daughters (Maggie) relaxing in the backyard. The mother is reminiscing about her other daughter (Dee). Dee is the daughter who made it. She's beautiful, smart, and intelligent. Dee wanted the nicer things in life. "A yellow organdy dress to wear to her graduation from high school; black pumps to match a green suit she"d made from an old suit somebody gave her.".
Maggie on the other hand is slower. She is not a bright child. Good looks, money and quickness passed her by. She walks differently than everybody else. "She has been like this, chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle, ever since the fire that burned the other house to the ground about twelve years ago".
The house that Maggie and the mother stay in now has three rooms and the roof is tin. "There are no real windows, just some holes cut in the sides, like the portholes in a ship, but not round and not square, with rawhide holding the shutters up on the outside." The house is also on a pasture. From the description of the house, you can tell how poor Maggie and the mother are.
In the middle of the story, Dee arrives at the house. She has brought a short, stocky man along with her. Maggie hides behind the mother because she is intimidated by Maggie's beauty, and she is afraid of the short, stocky man. The short, stocky man says "Asalamalakim" to the mother, and starts doing hand motions with Maggie. The mother says hello to Dee. Dee replies, "Not "Dee," Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo". The fact that Dee has changed her name catches the mother off-guard. The mother asks Dee why she ahs changed her name. Dee tells her that her name is given to her by the people who oppressed the her people. The mother tries to explain that "Dee" is a family name.
