Analysis of Alice Walkers' Everyday Use: Black Power Movement and Changes in the Cultural Dynamics

People always say that ‘you become what you surround yourself by and who you speak to, reflects.’ The reason why this quote is so true and relevant to today’s world is because humans tend to get influenced by others around them. They will behave and understand things in the same manner as the ones they choose to associate themselves with. In Alice Walker, Everyday Use, Dee and Maggie, African American girls, are a great example of the changes in the cultural dynamics. Dee is known to be very bold and speak what is on her mind. So when she insisted on going out for school her mother had to gather money from the church and some money that she had saved up to send her to Augusta. Maggie was more under her sister wing whenever she was around. She was not as open and courageous. She stayed with her mother and helped cook and clean around the house. She was mainly used to staying at home and got used to her life as her own mother was. As time went by, Dee shows herself not only to be a leader of her own mind, of her time during the civil rights time and how adapting to her new culture changes her completely.

When an individual is born into a certain culture that has not what their ancestors are born into, they are bringing back new ideas and beliefs to their family. Sometimes those beliefs are something new for everyone around to learn. But it is not necessary that everything being taught is good teaching. Dee is a prime example of how she uses the people and situations around her made her change her ways. She comes back home with everything that changed about her. Not only did she come back with a different name but also with a different set of attitudes and emotions that made her more aggressive. Dee comes back from abroad with a lot of beliefs that her mother and sister are surprised to see. “ She was determined to stare down any disaster in her efforts” (Walker 462). Dee does not seem like the girl to be phased by anything really easily. It seems like Dee is a leader and will do what her heart desires. Unlike her sister Maggie who stays in her own shell and does not say much. Dee proves to be a powerful character. Their mom states that “ Maggie will always be nervous until after her sister goes: she will stand hopelessly in corners…. eying her sister with a mixture of envy and awe,” (Walker 460). Maggie, herself knows that whenever her sister is around, she does not seem to be as strong. That she would stand in corners, and envy her own sister because of the way she is. Dee was always known to be very outspoken. She does not seem to fear like her sister does. Since she was always like this before she was sent off for her schooling, it only changed and helped her change even more. Which is one of the things that a person can see when they start to involve in another culture. Dee was beginning to adapt into a culture that her mother and sister were not used to. This only proves how outside cultures have such a dynamic effect and change day-to-day life.

During the 1960s and 70s, life was changing every day along the way. As the new generation was growing up, they were growing into new opportunities as well as problems that they will face. Maggie and Dee are also growing up at the same time where things are starting to change and its effects will be on their lives. This is also a time where the Black Power movement was beginning and starting to change the livelihood for many African Americans. According to Stanford University, “Black Power reflected and perpetuated a split in the civil rights movement between organizations that maintained that nonviolent methods were the only way to achieve civil rights goals and those organizations that had become frustrated and were ready to adopt violence and black separatism.” African Americans were starting to see changes as the civil rights act was moving forward as well as segregation laws changing. As these changes are happening, lives of many African American children were also taking a turn to fit in. Walker presents Dee as one example of this change. Dee’s mother states, Her eyelids would not flicker for minutes at a time…At sixteen she had a style of her own: and she knew what style was,”(Walker 460). Dee is shown to be a character who is bold and does everything under her control. She shows herself to be that growing generation who will not stay under laws and challenge the system around her. Her knowing her own style at the age of 16 shows how easily she is starting to change the way people do things around her. This shows how strong-minded she is for herself for how even during times like these, she does things on her own terms. Which represents her act in the black power movement and how she learns to pull through such an unsympathetic time.

They say that every name has a meaning behind it and how one carries it changes the world. Whenever a mother names her child, she puts thought and love as she knows her kids will make them proud. Same thing when Dee mother named her and maggie. As time went on though, Dee did not like her name as she thinks why should she keep her after the people that ‘oppressed’ her. She was known to be Wangero Leewanika Kemanj after that to her mother and sister. When her mother heard this, she was surprised to hear that. She did not expect Dee to hate her name so much that she comes back with a completely different name as she was with her clothes. “Dee next. A dress down to the ground, in this hot weather. A dress so loud it hurts my eyes. There are yellows and oranges enough to throw back the light of the sun,” (Walker 464). Wangero’s (Dee) mother starts to see how much she is changing. Especially with the clothes that she is wearing. Dee mother is not used to seeing colors and styles like the ones her daughter is now wearing to express herself with. It shows how the mother is known to wear dull and saggy clothes, as they are not as fortunate to afford things like those. According to Brain Fodder, “Science says that the clothes we wear affect our behavior, attitudes, personality, mood, confidence, and even the way we interact with others.” Wangero is expressing how new and improved she is by the way she is changing her appearance. She is adapting to her American culture and it is starting to show by the way she dresses and as she speaks. The way she speaks makes her into a whole other woman. She starts to become bold and is not afraid to speak about anything. As her chances increase throughout the story, it not only surprises her mother, but it also changes for her young sister.

In conclusion, Dee shows herself to not only be a strong character but how she is strong during the time of the Civil Rights era. She shows how daring she is and how she does not fear anyone in her way. Maggie shows herself to be just like her mother that she stays under her shell and does not grow as her sister. In the Black power movement, many were trying to create equality and end the racial prejudices that were happening. There were many who wanted their voice to be heard and accepted for who they are. Sadly some of those voices were not heard but some famous ones Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks are prime examples for those. Dee was symbolizing to herself that if she wanted, she could fight for whatever she pleased and would not back down from her rights. As she showed in the story that she is not a quiet person. She also shows that simpling changing her name and showing her own family that she will not let them choose who she is as a person and will do whatever she pleases. All and all, Dee is an example for many who want to express whatever they want to do without being afraid of what others think. If one tries hard enough, they will achieve whatever they desire.