Notes

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Sam Whitsitt’s analysis is on the significance of the quilts and independence in “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker. The quilts hold significance due to them being a symbol of empowerment and solace to women; in a time where writing fiction was noted by Mary Helen Washington " being in the shadow of men." The quilt represents a space where women can come together, share their stories, and support each other. However, Whitsitt also acknowledges the fact that this metaphor, runs the risk of keeping women in line; something that was once helped to get women out of line. The phrase can be seen as exclusionary, since it is a rigid definition of what it means to be a woman writer within this metaphorical framework. By associating women's writing with "needle" there is potential to dismiss women writers, who do not conform to these traditional notions. For example, according to Sam Whitsitt's " In Spite of it All: A Reading of Alice Walker's " Everyday Use" men wanted women literally to sew only figures; and many critics men and women, literally want women to sew figuratively; writing as if they were sewing, even writing about things related to quilts. This expectation can limit the creative freedom and diverse expressions of women writers. In " Everyday Use", Dee/Wangero represent opposition with Wangero insisting that "Dee" no longer exists. This dynamic can be observed in other aspects such as the burnt house and the new house, Mama in the present and mama in the past, and Maggie in the present and Maggie in the past. The attention given to spatial-temporal dimension by Walker is significant; it is what enables change and allows the characters to act despite their own intentions, both positive and negative. The analysis done by Whitsitt highlights the tension between empowering aspects of the quilt metaphor and its potential to impose conformity. The climax of the story is when Mama snatches the quilts from Dee and puts them in Maggie's lap; can be interpreted as a way of preserving the quilts and keeping them within the realm of the home, rather than allowing them to be redistributed in a distant country. This connects the idea that keeping things at home and the contrast between " Everyday Use" by Maggie and her mother, and the false aesthetics represented by Dee. This also touches on the stark perspectives of Maggie and Dee regarding the quilt. Maggie understands it is a process not a commodity, while Dee sees it as a potential object of commodification. This highlights the tension between functional use and the perceived uselessness of art. As Patricia Mainardi noted, " the women who made quilts knew and valued what they were doing: frequently quilts were signed and dated by their maker