Everyday Use and The Lottery

1. "Everyday use" represents the bond and legacy between woman of different generations. The connection and bond is strong but it can be very vunerable too. Walker chose this title because it refers back to the one's culture. Mama and Dee do not see the quilts as decoration and to be respected as folk art, but they acknowledge it as household items that they use everyday.

2. Dee views heritage as something of the past, dead, rather than thinking of it as an ongoing creation. Mama and Maggie defines heritage as family objects that were used by the family members everyday. They actually see the family traditions.

3. It is ironic that Dee changed her name to Wangero because she feels like it gives her a more feeling of her African heritage as displayed in the african culture clothes that she wears. But the clothes are insignificant. She has little understanding of her culture,so what she percieves to be more true to her culture is false. Dee does not understand her own heritage.

4. If Mama was not the narrator of the story, we would not be able to understand the two different views of culture and tradition during that time. The author was trying to show us the difference.

The Lottery

I believe that the purpose of the lottery was to show that an action or behavior is passed down from generation to generation without any question to it even if it cruel. Jackson was trying to show and give an example what happens when traditions are passed from generation to generation. The theme behind this story is the example of what can happen when people do not change or question traditions. The author is saying new generations should at least question a tradition.