Essay Insecurity as a Root of Tyranny - 1290 Words

Insecurity as a Root of Tyranny â€Å"Everyday Use,† by the acclaimed author Alice Walker, is a thematic and symbolic adaptation of the author’s life and the lifestyle of the African-American population during the 1960’s. Reviewing Alice Walker’s life and the 1960’s provides the necessary background to understand the character development of this story. Walker was born in 1944, the daughter of poor southern sharecroppers in Georgia. The history of the Walker family predates slavery; therefore, many traditions of the pre-abolition Black American existed in Alice’s childhood. Alice was disfigured by a BB gun as a young child, leaving her with an insecurity that is clearly reflected in the character Maggie Johnson. In much of the same way†¦show more content†¦Upon exiting the car wearing a â€Å"loud† dress and â€Å"dangling† (Walker 282) jewelry, Dee greet her family by saying, â€Å" ‘Wa-su-za-tean-o’ † (Walker 283). Although this word is never translated, Wangero’s use of foreign language in the presence of her relatively uneducated family is a clear indication of her desire to exhibit her intellectual superiority. Dee’s behavior implies that the changes in her personality are simply examples of her ancestry and newly found consciousness of intellect; however, her true motivation clearly stems from insecurity and selfishness. The incident with the quilts reveals Dee to be a product of trend. Dee initially had no desire for the quilts, but later becomes interested when Black-American heritage becomes fashionable. Dee Johnson is clearly an aggressive and potent force to be reckoned with consequently; her actions reveal immense insecurity and turmoil. Insecurity forces people to despise those who feel secure and peaceful about their lives. Momma and Maggie own nothing of material value; however, both possess the one thing Dee desires: peace. Dee is unable to use her knowledge and cultural identity to gain peace in her life, so she becomes contemptuous towards her family because they live serene, yet modest, â€Å"uneducated† lives. Dee demands success in her pursuits and strongly urges her family to fall inShow MoreRelatedEssay about Chapter 5 Text1303 Words   |  6 Pageswant to have to live under the rules and regulations of the British, where on the other side of that coin, there were the colonists would didn’t want to separate from the ruling of the Brit’s. They feared the unknown and also had many economic insecurities when evaluating which side of the Atlantic they wanted to remain loyal to. Finally people that may have lived in a different class, perhaps their family did not have money, or own la nd, now had a voice that mattered here in North America. 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