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Comparing Everyday Use By Alice Walker And Teresa Palomo Acosta

729 Words3 Pages

In the story, “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker and the poem, ”MY MOTHER PIECED QUILTS” by Teresa Palomo Acosta, the two works both talk about quilts. They differ in the ways people appreciate them. Walker uses the aspect of a family with a very rich heritage. The heritage has the two daughters torn apart in their thoughts and actions towards the nostalgic items. Theses items mean alot to one because of how she has experienced them, but the other not some much because she was taught what they mean. Acosta explains that the common and little things are what make quilts special in many ways. The items that make up the quilt, have memories attached meaning. These memories can not be taught, they can only be experienced. The story, “Everyday Use” displays a mother with her two daughters in the middle of a dilemma. Walker explains that one daughter whose name is Dee, was sent off to school. This education sent Dee to have a new found interest in her ancestry and to also change her name to Wangero. At the very same time …show more content…

Maggie and her mother in, “Everyday Use” display the correct way to appreciate the greatness within a quilt. Acosta writes as if she was proving that the past is the past and needs to be experienced. Dee in, “Everyday Use” depicts a person who is just trying to use their heritage as a conversation starter or just to show off. In that way also showing that the education does not further you in the appreciation of your roots. Acosta discounts this in a way due to her saying that as she awoke, she wondered how the quilt was stitched. This just shows that her disappreciation for quilts, which is not the only thing Dee does in the story. Dee also does not show respect to the families butter churn, as she took the top off of it just because it was nice rendering it useless. These act shows that education is not always the answer for your

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