“Everyday Use” is an short story written by Alice Walker where she introduces an black family from sometime in the mid 20th century exploring the concept of heritage. Mama and Maggie embrace their heritage while Dee has thrown away a part of her heritage. She wants more than what her family can provide and leaves the household to go to college. When she visits her family, her understanding of her heritage changes. While Mama and Maggie view of their heritage is in their application to their everyday lives, Dee views their heritage on its use as memories of the past akin to that of art pieces.
Walker shows one concept of heritage in her descriptions of Mama and Maggie. Mama says she is a big boned woman with man-working hands. She can be like a man in the way she dresses, looks, and acts. Likewise, Maggie has burn scars on her arm and legs and does everything she can to hide them. Both maggie and Mama are uneducated.
Maggie is affected by the fire that gave her her burns into being more mind mannered and shy.
