Walker, Alice “Everyday Use” And “In Search Of Our Mothers’ Gardens”
Alice walker is a poet, a teacher, editor, publisher, feminist, and activist, she was born on February 9, 1944 at Eatonton, Georgia. In 1994, she changed her middle name to Tallulah-Kate in honor of her mother and grandmother. Although, she grew up in a poor family they were rich in love and perspective. At an early age, she learned to value the beauty of nature and it inspired her to embrace painting, and music along with writing. As a writer, she gave great emphasis on the unhappy truth dealing with pain and loss.
Dee an Maggie they are different because one represent the old stereotype because Dee represents herself as the old style African –American which is completely different from Magee’s. She views her race with bitterness and hate. Walker has shown as how the old African –American viewed the ancestors of their aggressors. She has represented a double vision about African- American as she knows than in her own world and all other things that surrounds and suppress them.
Alice Walker tries to picture the difficult situation of most African women by using her own journey as a model. The quote is referring to the overlooked riches of gardens and her memories of gardeners who coexist with quilters. Walker made descriptions on how she flourished her life in a land full of challenges and difficulties. She stood as a representation of all the African women who once encountered painful experiences. Clearly, it describes the character of black women whose spirituality was so intense and most of them are unaware about the richness they held. In the quote pictures how African women stumbled blindly through their lives, most of them were abused and even mutilated in body as part of their tradition. Their painful experiences were so confusing that no one can even think of any hope. Despite all their tragic experiences, African women still stood to perform their role as a mother of their family.
Like Alice Walker and other black artists, despite all their difficulties they were able to make their lives meaningful like a garden. In her work, she voiced out the sentiments of most African women particularly those mothers who once encounter a painful life. Walker directed the quote to those mothers who lived in an era wherein women were not acknowledged. Most of them have dreams and hopes for their families, but they themselves could not understand on how they can attain that since they lived like slaves. Walker recognized the mothers like creators who were rich in spirituality attempting to lighten the soul to a weight their work-worn. Walker describes the eagerness of their great grandmothers to learn during their days, but all their hopes vanished because during their time it was a punishable crime especially for a black person to read or write. However, century after century, the creativity of black women still flourished and kept alive.
In my opinion, Walker quoted the line to address the issues about Southern experiences of all the mothers and grandmothers during the slavery period. The quote shows the condition and strength of blacks in the south; however, her memories gave her a compassion for humanity beyond love of justice and knowledge of evil. I believed that Walker, as a black southern writer, has a responsibility to articulate all the bitterness and hate of her ancestors as well as their kindness and sustaining love. I am impressed on how Walker developed a double vision about her life as she knew well her own world and all the things that surrounded and suppressed them.
As I read some of her works, I felt that Walker clearly understands that the problem of race and humanity. Walker was very receptive in summing up the preoccupations including the spiritual survival of all the black women who persist in their beauty in spite of everything. The quote reminds me the things we inherit including those legacies of our ancestors and mothers which passed intangibly. Some of the legacies seem to arrive quickly and some are easily forgotten. The quotes is directed black African women who once have been traditionally denied a voice in culture. Clearly, it talks about the voices and contributions of those women who made important role in shaping their history. Primarily, I think the quote talks about the significance of mothers and their memories in the South. It refers to those mothers who maintain their kind, caring nature despite all their painful experiences.
Alice walker in our story everyday use, she is addressing issues about Southern experiences of all the blacks during and after slavery period. She talks about a stereotype which is experienced by the black in the south. The conversation of the two represents their experiences as they try to live their lives. It represent a crucial part of African –American life especially their relationships, contributions and influences. The story exhort the idea that we must be conscious not only the fruits of our efforts but also with our experiences. The priceless is quoted by Dee means that mothers hold their lives to the delight of their children, despite all the difficulties, unbeautiful and challenges for useful purpose which end up a priceless. Such observation leads us to regard that implicitly racial factor is actually playing the role of protagonist in the story and at the same time it is setting backdrop for the story.
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