The Meaning of Heritage in Everyday Use by Alice Walker “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker is the story of an African-American family poor and a conflict around the word "inheritance". In this short story, the word “heritage” has two meanings. One of the meanings of the word “heirloom” represents family heirlooms, thoughts and traditions passed down over the years. The other meaning of the word “heritage” represents African American culture. There are three women in this short story, two sisters and their mother. One of the sisters is Maggie and the other is Dee. Maggie and her mother think the word "heritage" refers to their family's traditions. These traditions are the only ones they have ever known and/or cared about. Dee, on the other hand, believes that "heritage" is about African culture, and she wants nothing to do with her family's heritage until it is fashionable. Throughout "Everyday Use", there are instances that show Maggie and her mother. have knowledge about their family’s heritage. There are also examples that show Maggie and her mother cherishing their family's heritage while Dee does not. Then there are examples that show Dee not caring about her family's legacy until it becomes stylish. Finally, there are examples that show Dee embracing her African American heritage instead of that of her family. The narrator of “Everyday Use” is the mother, and the story opens with Maggie and her mother waiting for Dee to arrive. The mother's description of her family's yard, "a yard like this is more comfortable than most people think" (Walker 1149), shows that she is happy and content with her current surroundings. This land is part of their family's heritage, and the mother is at ease in the middle of the paper heritage......ly. Ironically, as Dee searches for her African American culture, it is right in front of her eyes. Her sister, her mother, her grandmother, and herself are all part of the family heritage, which stems from the African-American heritage that Dee is desperate to recapture. Works Cited Allen-Polley, Kathryn. “Dee’s Legacy.” Ode to friendship. Ed. Connie Bellamy. Virginia Wesleyan College, 1998. Baker and Pierce-Baker, Houston and Charlotte. "Patches: Quilts and Community in Alice Walker's "Everyday Use"? Alice Walker: Critical Perspectives Past and Present. Eds. Henry Louis Gates and KA Appiah. New York: Amistad, 1993. Callahan, John. "Revue d'Amour and Troubles." Short Story Review Vol. 5. (Essay date 1974). Walker, Alice. "Everyday Use." Harper Fiction Anthology. Ed. Sylvain Barnet. New York: Harper Collins, 1991.