Communication

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love:
3. “Is this story optimistic or pessimistic about true love? Is the old couple a positive or a negative example of true love? What about Nick and Laura? What about Ed? Could you argue that he was in love?” (Making Literature Matter 685)

This story is guardedly optimistic about true love. Mel is torn between his love for Terri and his love for his children, which necessitates a relationship with his ex-wife. As long as a relationship like that is maintained, for whatever reason, exes very often retain a degree of feeling for each other. Mel overcompensates for the fact that he has some feelings for his ex wife by publicly displaying feelings of disdain or anger towards her. Nick and Laura are in the early stages of love, and the early stages of love are always more optimistic and sugary sweet. Terri and Mel can see past that and are more honest about their love. The old couple that Mel tells a story about is a positive example of true love. The husband was depressed that he was unable to even see his wife, to make sure she was okay and protect her. That gesture is a shining example of deep, true, time tested love. As for Ed, some would classify him as crazy and many would classify him as dangerous. Ed could be compared to Miss Emily in "A Rose for Emily" in that both characters lived in a world where they believed that their actions indicated true love. To the 'normal' world, Ed is a dangerous man. He may have loved Terri, but he showed it in a way that violated the trust that true love is based on.


Everyday Use:
1. Consider the relationship between the story’s content and title. Ultimately, is “everyday use” a good thing? The narrator uses this term in the story itself, referencing the possibility that Maggie will receive the quilts. One sister has a very negative association with the idea that such items will be used “everyday”, and in a casual manner; the other appears to believe that such items should be used in order to demonstrate value – unused items have no value in Maggie and her mother’s household. Which definition of “everyday use” does the story, as a whole, appear to uphold?

The definition of 'everyday use' that Walker upholds in her short story is consistent with the definition that Mama and Maggie use. Everyday use is a good thing because it reinforces the attitudes and values of previous generations of family members, and allows them to be passed on to future generations. Dee connotes 'everyday use' with images of oppression and backwardness, preferring to box family heirlooms up and display them on a wall or an end table as talismans of a past that she has escaped from. She feels that her mother and sister are tarnishing their past by continuing to use the so called 'artifacts' for their intended purpose. Mama and Maggie prefer to honor and preserve their heritage for future generations by continuing to use quilts, furniture, and household tools in the manner for which they were created. Not only that, but Mama and Maggie have fewer resources than Dee and they see disuse as waste. Ultimately, families are best served by coming to a consensus regarding their heirlooms and what will best continue their legacy. Not all family possessions need to be put to 'everyday use' in order to be valued, but some are best served in that manner. The message that Walker is ultimately trying to get across is that heritage needs to viewed practically and with love.