Everyday Use

This short story presents a perspective on cultural struggles in America. A major culture is the African American culture. This culture has struggles to maintain through out American history. However, Africans living in America have created their own African-American Culture. In this short story, Dee is trying desperately to hold on to the "African" part of her past. She does this by what she wears, by changing her name, and by leaving her family and their American-farmhouse ways. Unfortunately, in partaking in these actions Dee has separated herself from her family and the heritage that they give her. Her name for example is something that has been passed down by the women in her family for generations yet she chooses to change her name to a traditional African name. In doing so she denies her true family heritage. Dee does not embrace her African-American culture but instead tries to force her African culture on herself and her family.